Norma Palmer, 77, passed away Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at her home in Columbia, MO. A visitation will be held Monday, May 17, 2021 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm with funeral services beginning at 4:00 pm, both at Memorial Funeral Home.
Norma was born to George Robert and Agnes Willer on August 5, 1943, in Moberly, Missouri. She had 2 older brothers, Donnie and Bobby, and one younger brother, Jimmy. Norma has told the story many times that she knew she wanted to be a nurse from the age of 6. She never wanted to do anything else with her life, except be a nurse. Norma had such a large and beautiful heart. She was very selfless and always did for others before herself.
Norma graduated Moberly High School in 1961. Shortly after graduation, she attended Columbia Practical School of Nursing and graduated in 1963 as a Licensed Practical Nurse. She married Gary Cooper in 1963, and they had two daughters, Lisa (Russell) Anderson, and Lori (Jeffrey) Fisher. She started her nursing career at Boone County Hospital, as it was known at that time, and worked there for many years. After gaining a lot of experience at Boone County Hospital, she chose to leave the hospital scene to help her second husband, Harold Palmer, in their mechanic garage.
She realized that she missed being in the heath profession, so decided to go back to nursing and started working at the University Hospital. After working in multiple areas at University Hospital, she found an area where her heart felt so complete…working with “little people”. She loved working in Pediatrics and it made her love nursing even more…if that was even possible.
In 2001, she officially retired from the University Hospital, however, she was not finished with nursing. She decided to do home health and started working for Integrity Home Health. She took care of several different “little people”, but there was one “little person” that really touched her heart…Sarah. Norma spent many years working with Sarah and her family, and we all often wondered who was better for whom…Norma for Sarah or Sarah for Norma. Those years spent with Sarah were golden to Norma. In 2013 there was a celebration in Norma’s honor for having 50 years of nursing service. She worked a few more years before completely hanging up her nurse’s cap and very satisfied with her “job well done” of 54 years of service.
She was a single mom of Lisa and Lori for many years before that beautiful day, September 5, 1981, when Norma married Harold Palmer. They created a blended family of four boys, Richard, Donnie, Mark, and Gary, and three girls, Louise, Lisa, and Lori. Over the years, grandchildren and great grandchildren brought joy to Norma’s heart. She was graced with memories with Christian Fisher (Ava Grace, Eli Joseph, and Kai James) and with Bo and Alyssa Fisher (Coraline Leeann and Daxton Dale). She also had great memories with her other grandchildren, Aaron (Josh) Palmer and Ashley Palmer (Kade Wayne) and their cousins. Gary Palmer mentioned several times to Norma, he wouldn’t be the person he is today without her great influence. He called Norma “mom” since that day in September of 1981 and continues to feel that way.
Norma and Harold spent a lot of time at their get-a-way place at Truman Lake in Warsaw, Missouri. They spent a lot of time personalizing their “little heaven on earth” at Bent Tree Harbor. They also enjoyed spending time in their boat on the water, especially at sunset.
Norma also loved to travel. Her favorite traveling buddy was her niece, Diana Knowles. Norma and Diana traveled to Tennessee, Louisiana, Maine, New York, Mississippi, and several areas in Missouri. Norma also traveled to Ohio, Colorado, Texas, South Dakota, Illinois, throughout her adult life. She took the opportunity to have her dream vacation to Germany and enjoyed every minute of her trip.
In addition to Norma’s many crafty talents, she was well known for her “homemade” birthday and Christmas cards. She made her own cards for many years and each one of them were different. Everyone that received her cards felt all the love that she poured into each and every one of them. In her later years she had more difficulty making her cards, but with lots of encouragement, she still found the strength and time to put her special touch into them. You knew her cards always came straight from her heart.
Norma had a strong faith in God, and attended Prairie Grove Baptist Church in Columbia. Norma trusted God with all her heart and soul and knew that one day she would join Him in his wonderful kingdom.
Norma had a heart of gold and the patience of a saint. She was a wonderful nurse, daughter, sister, mother, wife, mother-in-law, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, and so much more. Her favorite saying was “We didn’t have a pot to put a plant in or a window to throw it through, but we had love”. She always had love to share with anyone.
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