Chiseko Palmer

(Nee Yamaguchi)

January 15, 1932 – December 25, 2015

On Christmas Day, Chiseko Palmer (nee Yamaguchi), passed away peacefully after short illness, surrounded by her children. She was the beloved wife of the late Roy Lester Palmer and was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and homemaker.

Chiseko was born on January 15, 1932 in Yokohama, Japan. While working as a switch-board operator in Yokohama, she met the love of her life, Roy. He was lost and stopped to ask her for directions and she escorted him instead. They married on August 19, 1954 in Yokohama and a year later had the first of their four children. They traveled the world raising their family in Japan, Germany, New York, Texas and Washington, DC.

Chiseko, fondly referred to by love ones as “Chiko,” was a warm and gracious hostess to all who graced her home. She made everyone that visited feel as if they were family too. She loved to cook and feed everyone. She was one of the best home cooks; she could cook all kinds of cuisine and make it all taste so good, but especially southern style food as her family most enjoyed. She also loved spending time with her family, playing cards and board games and celebrating birthdays and holidays. She loved to gamble, as all the family did; playing 500 Rummy, Rumikub, and most certainly slot machines! One of her favorite places to go for the slots was Maryland Live!.

Chiko was funny with a keen sense of humor. Everyone enjoyed being around her and spending time with her. Let’s take a walk down memory lane…

“Thank you mama for preparing me for the world. You were there for me when I needed a costume for playing “The Little Drummer Boy.” You were there for me when King (the family German Sheppard) dragged me into the Texas desert and wouldn’t come home. I really enjoyed the times we spent playing Monopoly, Hearts and Spades. I loved your fried chicken, crab feasts and banana pudding. I already miss our trips to Maryland Live!. Say hi to Dad for me and I’ll see you soon. Love you, Jr.”

“Some of the amazing things that I will cherish about Grandma is she always treated me as an equal and I will always love her for that. I will never ever forget some of the Japanese culture you shared with me as well. One day I will share those same experiences with my daughter and I love you always, La’Keya.”

“My best memory about Chiko was her love for her family. In the kitchen, fish sushi, rice, greens, turkey, ham, etc. She could cook anything under the sun. Her self-taught skills were impeccable. Chiko taught me how to use chop sticks and now it is traditional for me to always use chops sticks when I eat Asian food. Chiko treated me like one of her daughters. I’m going to miss you. Your daughter-in-law, Jackie.”

“Grandma, I miss you so much. You have been my best friend and the best Grandmother I could have ever hoped for. You helped raise me, loved my like your own and always made me feel special. I remember you and Granddaddy picking me up from Garfield Elementary School on Friday’s to spend the weekend with you. Drinking Pepsi floats (Breyer’s coffee ice cream and Pepsi) while watching Dynasty on Wednesday nights and Saturday Night Live in the bed with you after Granddaddy left for work. Or fishing and crabbing with you and Granddaddy at Solomon’s Island and all the late night card games while eating the most delicious food on earth from your kitchen with Sam Cook playing in the background – thank you Granddaddy! Thank you Grandma for allowing me to play beauty parlor with you by putting Ponds cold cream on your face and polishing your fingernails and trusting me to cut, color and style your hair without making you look crazy. These are the memories I will carry in my heart always…Love, Channy~Panny.”

Chiseko leaves to cherish the memory of her life her four children, Articlees Palmer-Felder (Romeo Felder), Rose Marie Palmer (Perry Smith), Roy Lester Palmer Jr. (Remell {Jackie} Palmer) and Carol Palmer-Portis (James Portis); her grandchildren and great grandchildren, Chantell Palmer, Marco and Yolanda Felder (Victor and Miya), David A. and Jennifer Palmer (Dayaun, David Jr., Darius, Darian) and (Davion), La’Keya Baucum (Jeremiah and Ja’Niyah); Daniel C. Palmer (Nia-Marie), Roy L. Palmer III (Jacob) and Royal V. Palmer; two sisters-in-law, Mary Alice Brooks and Jean Articlese Palmer-Williams along with a host of loving extended family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Motoshige and Misa Yamaguchi; her siblings Shigemi, Motoichi, Motomasa, Tomoe and Motoaki. Chiesko still has one living sibling, her sister Misuji, who resides in Japan along with a host of extended family and friends there as well.

Per Chiseko’s wishes she will be cremated and interred at Arlington National Cemetery with her loving husband Roy Lester Palmer in a private military service.

The family wishes to express our sincerest thanks and warmest gratitude for everyone’s kind words, prayers and acts of kindness during our time of bereavement. Thanks also to Huntt Funeral Home for arranging the services.

Poem

Do not stand at my grave and weep;

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.