Dr. Thomas Howard Palmer Jr.

Thomas Howard Palmer Jr., M.D., 84 BANGOR -- Thomas H. Palmer Jr., M.D., 84, died peacefully on March 10, 2009. He was born April 19, 1924, to Thomas Howard Palmer Sr. and Elizabeth Agnes (Higgins) Palmer. A graduate of Arlington, Mass. High School in 1942 . He was awarded a scholarship to Harvard College. After freshmen year during World War II he joined the U.S. Navy which kept him in the Harvard pre-medical accelerated program until 1944. He was then sent by the Navy to Tufts University Medical School in Boston where he graduated with honors in 1948. He served a one year internship at Boston City Hospital, 1948-1949, followed by residency at New England Medical Center, Boston, 1949-1950. He then began a Charlton Research Fellowship but was called to active duty by the U.S. Navy because of the Korean War. He served from 1950-1952 as a navy medical corps lieutenant at military hospitals and on shipboard around the world. After discharge from the Navy in 1952, he returned to the Tufts New England Medical Center as a resident surgeon and completed his training both in Bangor and Boston as surgical resident in 1955. In 1954 he married Mary Ellen Herlihy, who was the daughter of Bangor physician Edward Herlihy M.D. and his wife Madeline. They raised four sons and a daughter together. In 1955, he established his practice in surgery at Eastern Maine Medical Center and St. Joseph Hospital in Bangor and continued as a surgeon until his retirement in 1989 at age 65. During his 34 year career in surgery he served as president of the medical staff at Eastern Maine Medical Center 1973-1975 as well as chief of surgery at St. Joseph Hospital 1967-1974 and 1980- 1985. He was a trustee of EMMC 1982-1989, a director of Eastern Maine Healthcare 1982-2003 and a director of Eastern Maine Charities 1995-2003. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from Eastern Maine Healthcare in 1987. For many years he was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and was president of the Maine Chapter 1969-1970. He was also a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery, a member of the New England Surgical Society, the Maine Medical Association and Alpha Omega Alpha, the national honor medical society. He was the author Thomas Howard Palmer Jr., M.D. of multiple publications in medical journals. After retirement he enjoyed reading history, writing and especially gardening both in Hancock at Berry Hill Farm and in Bangor. Towards the end of his life, the publication of his book, Cracked Marbles, brought him great joy with his message of the importance of the physician-patient relationship. A special thanks to Joan McCrackin for her wisdom and guidance in the publishing of the book. In addition to his parents of Cambridge, Mass.; he was predeceased by his wife, Mary Ellen of 47 years; his brother John Lambert Palmer of Weymouth, Mass.; and his brother-in-law John Fennessey M.D. of Grosse Pointe, Mich. He is survived by his sister Anita Fennessey of Michigan; and his sister-in-law Maureen Palmer of Hanover, Mass.; his daughter Anne P. Graham of North Yarmouth and her husband Ron and their children Andrew, Cameron and Hunter; his sons Thomas H. Palmer III of Dedham and wife Belinda and children Molly and Tommy; Edward H. Palmer of Scarborough and wife Jennifer and children Abigail, Ted, Margaret and Madeline; David A. Palmer of Windham and his wife Susan; Valerie Palmer and children Emily, Alec and Jacqueline of Bangor; and James L. Palmer of Scarborough and his wife Nancy and daughter Sarah. He also had 10 special nieces and nephews. A special note of thanks to Suzy, Ritchie, Bob and Gail Bach, New Hope Hospice and New England Home Health for their compassion and care. Relatives and friends are invited to call 4-7 p.m. Sunday, March 15, 2009, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Monday, March 16, 2009, at St. John's Catholic Church, 207 York St., Bangor. A reception will be held at the Lucerne Inn, Dedham, from 1-4 p.m., Monday, March 16, 2009. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com. Gifts in his memory may be made to The Thomas H. Palmer Jr., M.D. Fund to benefit Cancer Care of Maine at: Healthcare Charities P.O. Box 931 Bangor, Maine 04402-0931 or to St. Joseph Healthcare P.O. Box 1638 Bangor, Maine 04402-163