Esther Palmer Kenerson

She was born in Norwich on December 14, 1935 at her parents’ home on West Thames Street in Norwich, CT. Her parents were Merton Palmer and Lillian Barber Palmer. Esther’s grandmother Harriet Barber helped to deliver her. Esther had two older sisters; Lillian and Dorothy who thought they were getting a cat for Christmas when they first heard Esther cry.

As a child Esther enjoyed playing outside and would pick berries and sell them and make wreaths from berries, pine cones and greens she found in the woods.

In high school Esther was a twirler in the drum corps, sang in the chorus and also did archery. She graduated from Norwich Free Academy in 1953. She attended various colleges and obtained her Master’s Degree in Mathematics in 1985 at Eastern CT. State University. Esther worked at the former Continental Can Co in Uncasville, American Sugar/Amstar in Versailles, was a substitute teacher in both the Norwich and Bozrah school systems and was a Co-director of the Physical Plant Administration at Conn College from 1985 until her retirement. In 1957 she married her beloved husband Robert Kenerson who predeceased her in 2014.

When Esther was not caring for her family, her home, or working, she enjoyed gardening and genealogy. She was a member of the Mayflower Society, D.A.R., Walter Palmer Society and many additional genealogy societies. She loved her spending time with family, especially her grandchildren and will be deeply missed.

Esther is survived by her daughter Kimberly Digby and her fiancé Curtis Meighen. She is also survived by her grandchildren; Matthew and Marissa Digby and Miranda Meighen. Besides her husband, she was predeceased by her sisters; Lillian Parr and Dorothy Lentz.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Monday, Sept 26th at 11am at the Labenski Funeral Home, 107 Boswell Ave., Norwich, CT with burial immediately following at Maplewood Cemetery, 184 Salem Tnpk., Norwich, CT. A Calling Hour will be held from 10am until the time of the service.

Donations in Esther’s memory may be made to either the American Cancer Society or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

To leave an online condolence, please visit www.labenskifuneralhome.com