Dr. Abraham Lincoln Palmer

Dr. Abraham Lincoln Palmer of Ponchatoula, Louisiana passed away after a brief illness, on October 28, 2015 at the age of 93. He was born on March 2, 1922 in Perrysville, Ohio to Charles Matthew and Ethel Estelle Palmer. Known to his family as Abe, he was raised on a farm during the depression years. He was one of 11 children, 9 of whom grew to their adult years. He served as a "Seabee" in the United States Navy during World War II. Following the war, he worked as a welder until his call to ministry. He attended Moody Bible Institute, Ashland University, and Dallas Theological Seminary, graduating in 1955. He and his wife, Dorothy Unruh Palmer, were married on August 31, 1952. While in Ohio, he became the founding pastor of the Crestline Mission. In Dallas, he served as pastor of the Pilgrim Chapel Bible Church. In 1957, they moved to Missouri for further education. He became the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Hale, Missouri in 1957 and served there until his call to the First Baptist Church of Trenton, Missouri in June, 1961. He would go on to serve there until February 18, 1986. During his years in Trenton he served in multiple Baptist leadership roles including the Executive Board of the Missouri Baptist Convention, the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, the board of trustees of Southwest Baptist University, and on the board of the Grand Oaks Baptist Assembly. He was active in the Trenton Rotary Club, serving as the area District Governor in 1968-69. In his years after leaving Trenton, he served as the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Opelousas, Louisiana from 1986 into 1988. In March of 1988, he retired from full-time ministry and relocated to the Hammond/ Ponchatoula, Louisiana area. He then began a very active and fruitful 27 year period of ministry as an interim pastor, supply preacher, and mentor to younger pastors. He preached in over 100 churches and served as interim pastor on 12 different occasions, including four months at the International Baptist Church in Antwerp, Belgium. Dr. Palmer was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Dorothy, who passed away on January 30, 2001. He is survived by his daughter, Norene Palmer of Ponchatoula, LA,; his son, Clark Palmer, of Pineville, LA,; and his three grandchildren, Travis Hutchinson, Matthew Palmer, and Michelle Palmer. He is also survived by seven great-grandchildren. He is survived by his two sisters, Marie Snyder and Joanne Allen, and by two brothers, Hugh Palmer and Gene Palmer. Family visitation will be held at the First Baptist Church of Ponchatoula, LA on Friday, October 30, 2015, from 6:30-8:30 PM. Family visitation will continue Saturday morning at 8:30 AM until the memorial service begins at 10:00 AM. The service will be conducted by Norene Palmer and Clark Palmer. Condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.harrymckneely.com.