Jack Lawrence Palmer

Jack Lawrence Palmer Battle Creek Jack Lawrence Palmer, 86, longtime resident of Battle Creek, passed away Tuesday, October 26, 2010 following a short illness. He was born October 25, 1924 in El Reno, Oklahoma the son of Dewey C. and Beatrice (Stockel) Palmer. A 1941 graduate of Kingfisher High School Jack was class Salutatorian and played the leading role in the senior play. In 1943, Jack joined the U.S. Army Air Corps at the age of 19 and served 20 years at various posts foreign and domestic, retiring at the rank of Master Sergeant. A few years after his retirement from the USAF, Jack moved to Battle Creek to serve with the Department of Defense. He worked almost 20 years at the Federal Building, serving for part of that time as a Computer Systems Analyst engaged in tracking the vast inventories of the DOD. He received several commendations before his subsequent retirement from the DOD. While in retirement Jack traveled, researched and collected materials and ultimately established himself as a recognized leading authority on the first recording star of country music, Vernon Dalhart. He published the first full-length biography of Dalhart in 2005 (Vernon Dalhart-First Star of Country Music) and was in the process of gathering photos and other documents for a revised 2nd edition at the time of his illness. Jack also remained actively involved in studying other topics of long-time interest, including old time radio performances, Route 66 history and lore, the Rock Island Railroad line, the music of Mozart, and the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan. Despite his many rarefied interests, in recent years his chief delight was the companionship of his loving grandchildren. Survivors include his siblings: Dewey H. Palmer of Macclesfield, England, Paul (Nancy) Palmer of Spring Branch, TX and Beatrice (Charles) James of Vernon, TX; his children: Ginger Hall of Wichita Falls, TX and Patricia Ellen (Chris) Alexander of Battle Creek; grandchildren: Jeramy Marines of Wichita Falls, TX, Scott (Carmen) Hall of Sherman, TX, Melissa Fisher, Jaden Alexander and Dru Alexander all of Battle Creek; several great-grandchildren; six nieces; seven nephews; several great-nieces and nephews, and many cousins as well as several stepchildren, step grandchildren and step great-grandchildren. Visitation will be 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home. Graveside services will be held 12:00 p.m. Monday at Fort Custer National Cemetery. Those wishing to attend, please meet in the cortege assembly area prior to the service.