Jessie A Palmer

Definitely a member of the "Greatest Generation”, she was born Jessie Adelaide Minkler on Oct. 24, 1927 in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada, to Mayta Elizabeth Neis and Lewis Perine Minkler. She grew up there during the depression and WWII. Her father died in 1943 when she was 15, and her older brother Lew was in the Canadian Royal Air Force. It was a difficult time for Jessie, her mother, and sister Eunice. However her memories of her youth were tempered with the happiness and love she felt from surrounding extended family, including trips to visit her grandparents at their farm in Mirror and holidays at nearby Gull Lake. There were always pets in the home and animals at the farm to dote on. After Jessie finished high school, they moved to Edmonton, Alberta. She attended the Royal Alexandra School of Nursing in Edmonton, making many lifelong friends and meeting her husband Harrison “Bud” Palmer, who was a student at the University of Alberta. When Bud moved to Provo, Utah to continue his education, he also found Jessie a job at the local hospital. She left family, friends, and home to be with him. They married March 7, 1953 and eventually settled in Salt Lake City where Mom spent many years working as a nurse, first at the old Salt Lake County Hospital, and then, when it opened, the University of Utah Hospital.

Jessie was well known for her sense of humor, quick intelligence and an appreciation for history, politics, and sports. She had enjoyed the Stanley Cup Finals in hockey and the Belmont Stakes in horseracing the last few days before her death. Her wide range of interests caused her grandchildren to comment that she would be their lifeline if they were ever on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” Ever the pet lover, Jessie always had a devoted dog and a cat or two to keep her company. Her current dog, Jaeger cried when she didn’t come home. Jessie was deeply sentimental and loving about her family. We will miss her lively presence dearly.

Surviving family members include Jessie’s brother, Lewis Minkler, Edmonton, Alberta, children Sharon (Rulon) Beesley, Penny (Cary) Evans, and Lewis (Jaclyn) Palmer, daughter-in-law Tina Nelson, and 11 grandchildren: Nicole Stott, Andrew Beesley, James Beesley, Julia Allred, Andrea Palmer, John Palmer, Sarah Evans, Camille Evans, Mitch Evans, Sylvie Evans, and Alex Palmer and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters Eunice Minkler, Betty Gall, Hazel Neis, and Jean Remier, and her son Timothy Palmer.

We would like to thank her sweet Mountain View 3rd Ward family. She loved the friendships dearly and we all appreciated their help as she and Dad grew older. We also want to thank dear Annette who helped Mom in so many ways. And thanks, most of all, to Mom for making our lives rich and full of love.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, June 18, 2016 at the Mountain View 3rd Ward (1889 South 1700 East) at 11:00 a.m. A viewing will precede the services at 10:00.