Wiletta Deene Toy Palmer was a feisty force of nature right up to the end.
Congestive heart failure for 14 years... Managed.
Atrial fibrillation for 9 years.... Managed.
But when no one was looking, her lungs filled up with metastatic cancer, which we didn't know till Wednesday August 17. It’s unbelievable (but no surprise to anyone who knew her) that she was fighting harder than anyone realized with every single step and breath.
The world will never be the same. We're left with a lifetime of stories, from drag racing with her state trooper boyfriend to telling an inebriated Johnny Cash to keep his hands to himself and of course, the popular tale of the night Wiletta shot the peeping tom in the driveway after she caught him peering in our windows.
Wiletta was a waitress at the Glass House when there was a toll plaza/restaurant in Shepherdsville, a switchboard telephone operator who knew a lot more secrets than she was supposed to, a records clerk at the Bullitt County courthouse (and no one could read 200-year-old deeds better than her), a teacher’s aide when her kids started school, and partner in both family businesses from the beginning. She was, as acknowledged by Tom Palmer many times, the main reason for his successes.
She resided for over 50 years in the Louisville, Kentucky home that she had confided to Tom was her dream house…and he bought it for her in 1971.
Wiletta is survived by her two daughters, Lynetta Anne Palmer and Lauren Lee Palmer, her brother Rhubin Isaac Toy (Kathleen), brothers-in-law James Phillip Palmer, and Gerald Palmer (Mary Ellen), sister-in-law Linda Benda-Middlesworth, as well as nephews and nieces: Jeffrey Toy, Sherri Jo Moore (Tom), James Palmer (Nancy), Debbie Button, William Palmer (Amy), Geoffrey Palmer (Ashley), Christina Howard (Chris), Kimberly Palmer, Cindy Palmer, Lynette Baerlocher (Andrew), and John Philip Benda (Shaunese). Mention must be made of her related-by-heart children of Dieta Duncan (Stuart) her “stunt-grandkids” Joshua Duncan (Biskie), Jonathan Duncan and Darcy Duncan, who brought her huge joy.
She was preceded in death by her parents, William Rhubin Toy and Floetta Virginia Brown Toy; her ex-husband and unwavering friend, Thomas Palmer; her brother, Franklin Goldman (Janis); brother-in-law, John Palmer (Judy); and sister-in-law, Donna Palmer; nephew, Jeffrey Benda.
There will be a Celebration Of Life at a date to be determined when everyone's schedules can be cleared, where we will invite everyone to tell their own stories of this lovely, laughing, best-mom-in-the-whole-world woman known as Wiletta.
