Merry Elizabeth Palmer

Merry E. Palmer, 85, died peacefully of natural causes Tuesday morning August 7th in Shakopee, MN where she had been living with her son and daughter-in-law for the last five years. She was born to Caroline L. Strickland and Guy I. Strickland October 20, 1932 at Holyoke, Colorado.

Merry was active in her church, Central United Methodist Church of Colorado Springs, before they moved to Minnesota. They have attended Faith Free Lutheran Church of Minneapolis the last 5 years. Her faith in Jesus and heaven have always been an important part of her life along with her family.

Merry was a “stay at home mom” being active in their children's lives: she was homeroom mother and scout leader during their grade school years. She was an accomplished seamstress, making much of her own clothing as well as the family's. She went on to quilt blankets for the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Merry was a member of the ladies group at church and very involved in their activities. She was known for her cookie baking at Christmas time, making 100’s of cookies and giving them out to family, friends, the mailman and anyone else who looked like they needed one.

She and the family took vacations every year visiting places across the west as well as to family activities and fishing trips. When the children finished grade school she worked for 10 years at Gorman Jr. High in the school lunch program where she made lifelong friends. Harold and Merry traveled in their motor home with family members, and to visit extended family all over the United States after they had retired. In their 70s, they went to the gym for aqua aerobics three days a week, where they kept active and met friends that they kept in contact with the rest of their lives. Merry enjoyed collecting pictures and organizing them into photo albums.

Family was always an important part of Merry’s life. She is survived by one son, Rev. Delmar (Karen) Palmer; one daughter, Carolyn (Thomas) Hawelka; two granddaughters, Rebecca (Jeremy) Nelson and Esther (Rev. Jason) Gudim; three grandsons, Christopher (Shiloh) Belcher, Gabriel (Laurie) Belcher, and Nathan (Lindsey) Palmer; five great-grandsons, Ashton Belcher, Noah Gudim, James Gudim, Milo Gudim, and Simon Gudim; four great-granddaughters, Leah Draper, Grace Gudim, Cora Nelson, and Brodie Belcher; and two sisters-in-law, Vera (Al-deceased) and Valera (Charles-deceased) and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Caroline L. Strickland; father, Guy I. Strickland; sister, Iva (Wayne) Gee; brother, Paul (Cheryl-surviving) Strickland; three half-brothers, Darl (Irene) Mayo, Fred (Doris) Mayo, and John Lloyd Mayo; a half-brother who died as a child, William Glenn Mayo; half-sister, Ruth (Richard) Baldwin; brother-in-law, Eldon (Dorothy) Palmer; and two sisters-in-law, Ila Taylor and Gladys (James) Thomas.