Mary Palmer – founded Future Farmers Country Fair

Mary Palmer, born in 1921, died on January 10, 2004 at
Cloverdale Health Center after a short illness. The wife of the
late Charles “Ed” Palmer Junior, she is survived by her daughter
Barbara Ludena of Sparks, Nevada, her sons Francis Palmer of
Visalia, Robert “Bob” Palmer of Healdsburg, and her sister Ellen
Hall of Healdsburg. She was the grandmother of 10 and the
great-grandmother of 10. She was preceded in death by her sons
Steven Deck and John Palmer, her sisters Myrtle “Peggy” Cadd, Doris
Millhouse, and her brothers Arthur Beeman, Lafayette Beeman, and
Frank Beeman. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Mary
worked for the Healdsburg Police Department for 10 years before her
retirement in 1978. She and her late husband spent many years as
community 4-H leaders and 4-H project leaders. The Healdsburg
Future Farmers Country Fair was conceived at Mary’s kitchen table
more than 50 years ago, and she was a tireless booster and
supporter of the fair. Even in the last few years, as her health
declined, Mary helped at the Sir Rusty fundraising booth at the
fair, and generations of Healdsburg youth learned about hard work
and responsibility from her. Her greatest joy was the fair and the
youth of our community. No funeral services are planned at this
time. A memorial celebration will be announced at a later date.