Pamela “Pam” Palmer, 72, of Mokena, IL, passed unexpectedly on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, Ill.
Pam was born June 17, 1952, in Somerville, Mass., as the middle daughter to Herbert and Sally Harper. Her family later moved to California, and she graduated from Arroyo High School in El Monte, CA in 1970.
Her first son, Joshua Aaron, was born November 10th, 1974, in Pico Rivera, Calif. Pam married Bruce Palmer on August 11, 1979, in Las Vegas, Nev. They had three sons, Brian (1980), Keith (1982), and Kevin (1988). Her boys were her life, and she was a wonderful wife, mother, and, in time, grandmother.
Pam was a great cook and baker, particularly instilling the love of baking and cooking in her son, Kevin. Some of her families’ favorites included her pot roast with gravy, beef teriyaki, homemade spaghetti and meatballs, peanut brittle, and her Christmas fudge. For her recent birthday, she requested a “simple” meal of steak and lobster with her immediate family, who happily obliged.
She wore many hats during her professional career, including medical administrator, executive assistant, school bus driver, and homemaker. She was a great storyteller and would enjoy reminiscing about her sons’ youthful antics, including camping and river rafting in the Redwoods with rattlesnakes, youth sports, and biking adventures. Her son, Keith, shares this love of storytelling and her emotional connection to the world.
Pam moved to the Chicago area in 2020 from Marks, Miss. as her sons Kevin and Brian live in the area. During her time in Mississippi, Pam also lived in Clarksdale, Moss Point, Ocean Springs, and Batesville. Prior to that, Pam lived in Baldwin Park and El Monte, California, as well as Reno, Nevada, and Tewksbury, Mass. which she considered to be her hometown. Pam particularly enjoyed her time in Marks, Miss. spending time with her sister Sally and her niece Cindy.
When it was time to relax, she enjoyed playing darts, enjoying a computer game like Animal Crossing or The Sims, reading, or watching television, especially Blue Bloods, Grey’s Anatomy, and NFL football games. Pam particularly enjoyed reading science fiction novels such as Dragon Riders of Pern and instilled a love of books in her son Brian. She changed the course of all her sons’ lives in 1992 with the purchase of a Super Nintendo gaming system and games like Mario Cart and Super Bomberman. Kevin and Brian in particular share her love of video games and can often be found playing together online today.
Pam also had a love for sewing. Pam has handmade many of her children's and grandchildren’s clothes and costumes over the years, including a bumblebee costume complete with wings for her son Keith and a batgirl costume for her granddaughter Riley. Pam took the time to teach her son Josh this skill, which he finds “super useful” to this day. Her daughter-in-law, Darlene, also enjoyed working with Pam on various sewing projects over the years.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Sally Harper, and two sisters, Lorraine Quinteros and Sally Hall. She is survived by her spouse, Bruce Palmer; four sons, Joshua (Kerstin) Palmer of Layton, Utah; Brian (Diana) Palmer of Bolingbrook, Ill.; Keith (Darlene) Palmer of Clarksdale, Miss.; Kevin (Anna) Palmer of Mokena, Ill.; sister Jean Harper Hall; two grandsons Nathan and Lucas; four granddaughters, Alyssa, Elizabeth, Rebecca, and Riley; and many nieces and nephews and other family members. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends who loved her dearly.
Pam’s furry friends were numerous over the years, including Spike, Cleo, Hannah, Phoebe, Max, Sarabell, and 99. Her current dog and faithful companion, Judy, is a Germany Shepherd and Australian Cattle Dog mix that she rescued from a local organization in September 2020. Her love of animals is something that she passed on to all of her sons and grandchildren. Her granddaughter Rebecca fondly remembers pony rides that her Nana took her on as a small girl.
She will be remembered for her caring and loving nature, as well as her sense of humor, often throwing out a “that’s what she said” joke followed by a rolling belly laugh that would echo throughout the room. She always offered a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on, even during her own struggles.
Pam leaves behind a legacy of compassion and kindness, impacting the lives of those around her. Cremation is planned, and services will be held at Kurtz Memorial Chapel on Saturday, August 31, 2024. In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to Halfway Home Animal Rescue http://www.hwhanimalrescue.com/or a charity of your choice.
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