George Melvin Palmer

GREENSBORO — The Reverend Dr. G. Melvin Palmer died on Friday, October 28, 2011 after a long bout with cancer.

A service to celebrate his life will be held on Monday, October 31, at 2 p.m. at Peace United Church of Christ, 2714 West Market Street, Greensboro, where he served as pastor for over 32 and a half years. The burial will be private.

Surviving him are his wife, Patsy Lou Everhart Palmer and their children and spouses, Lynn Palmer Mills and husband Dr. Michael Mills of Salisbury, NC; David R. Palmer and wife, Susan Bell, of Greenville, SC; and Carol Palmer Cain and husband, Shannon Cain, along with their daughter, Emma Grey Cain, of Charlotte, NC.

Known as Mel, he was born in High Point, NC, April 15, 1928. When he was two years old, his parents, Clarence and Grace Eastep Palmer, both now deceased, moved to Lexington, NC, where he grew up. Graduating from Lexington High School in 1945, he entered Catawba College that fall and graduated in 1949. The next three years were spent at Lancaster (Pa.) Theological Seminary from which he graduated in 1952. He was pastor of Beulah UCC, Davidson County from 1952 until November 1, 1960, when he accepted a call to Peace United Church of Christ in Greensboro. Upon his retirement in 1993, Peace Church honored him by electing him as Pastor Emeritus, naming a meeting room for him and placing a plaque on the property "honoring his wisdom and wit".

While serving as Pastor of Peace, he earned a Masters Degree in Counseling in 1970 and a Doctorate in Behavioral Psychology in 1974, both from the University of NC at Greensboro. Catawba College awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity in 1981 and Lancaster Theological Seminary granted him the Alan S. Meck Award for Excellence in Parish Ministry in 1988. He served on the Board of Trustees of Elon University from 1973 until 2005. In 1998, Elon presented him with the Elon Medallion for Meritorious Service to the University. While on the Elon Board, he served as Vice Chair, Chair, and Chair Pro Tem.

Dr. Palmer was a regular member of the National Association of Parliamentarians. He used his knowledge and skill serving as parliamentarian for churches, civic organizations, and annual meetings of the Southern Conference of the UCC (of which he was the first president) and annual meetings of Western and Eastern Associations of the Conference. He was elected as one of the Assistant Moderators of the General Synod of the UCC and moderated most of the 1987 national meeting, especially as the Synod dealt with its most controversial and contentious issues.

He held a private pilot's license, operated amateur radio station K4LGR, was an avid quail hunter, built and flew radio-controlled airplanes, and read voraciously in diverse subjects, especially enjoying books on astro-physics. He was much in demand as a preacher and after dinner speaker. Although he served as interim pastor at several churches, the longest was five years over a seven year period at Beck's Reformed Church, Lexington, NC, where, in 2008, he was elected "Honorary Pastor Emeritus." The family will greet friends at a reception at the church following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Peace United Church of Christ at the above address, The G. Melvin and Patsy Everhart Palmer Scholarship Fund at Catawba College or Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro. Forbis & Dick North Elm Street Chapel is serving the Palmer family. Online condolences can be made at www.forbisanddick.com