Ethel Ann Palmer

Ethel Ann Palmer died on Sunday, 31 August 2025, in Provo, Utah after a hard fought battle with dementia. Ethel Ann Palmer was born on 9 December 1942 in Henderson, Nevada to George Elmo and Pearla Rozell Peine Palmer. She joined her older brother Elmo LaMont. Rose Lynn also joined the family in Nevada. The family moved back to Kirtland, New Mexico where Ann's brothers Barton LeRoy and Richard Edwin were born.
Ann was born of goodly parents who taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ann had a rich heritage of multi-generations of church heritage on her father's side combined and the enthusiasm of first generation church members on her mother's side.
Ann was part of a family that was not burdened by worldly wealth but was encircled by love and service from devoted parents. On two separate occasions the Palmers did not make car payments on time and the family car was repossessed. That experience of seeing the family car hauled away made a deep and lasting impression on Ann and her siblings.
The Palmers raised a large garden, had fruit trees, and grape vines and the children were expected to help out. A number of years the family had a milk cow, chickens, and raised a calf for butchering.
Prior to 1952 when natural gas came to Kirtland, the children took their weekly bath in a #2 wash tub. The water was heated on the wood cook stove.
As Ann was growing up there were 6 families with children that lived close to each other on both sides of the highway. Ann spent many hours with the neighborhood children playing outdoor games and visiting in their homes.
Ann started school in Kirtland in 1948 and in the summer of 1953 the old school building was torn down. The building was made out of soft mud brick. Ann's father had a large portion of the brick dumped in the Palmer's front yard. For many months the Palmerchildren spent hours cleaning the brick.
To earn money, Ann babysat, cleaned houses, sold fiber flowers that her mother made, and worked at the A&W Root Beer stand in Farmington.
Ann was blessed to be able to participate in church programs and auxiliaries throughout her growing up years. Ann grew up in the olden days when Primary and Young Men/Young Women were held on week days. Ann was active in both programs and loved to participate in the various activities. Ann enjoyed the annual 24 of July Pioneer celebrations in Kirtland and was often in the drama productions.
The Palmer family valued learning and education. The children were encouraged to participate in various activities. Ann attended early morning seminary all four years of high school. During her four years in High School Ann was a member of the Future Teacher Club, the Pep Club, Chorus, the Drama Club, the National Honor Society, the Future Business Leaders Club, and the Student Council. Ann was voted the Best Natured by her classmates during her senior year. Ann graduated from Kirtland Central High School in 1960.
Ann attended Brigham Young University and graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education in May 1965. She continued her pursuit of education and earned her master's degree in educational administration from New Mexico State University in May 1982. Ann taught third grade in White Rocks, Utah from September 1965 to May 1967.
Ann was hired by Central Consolidated School District #22 in Kirtland, New Mexico in 1967. She taught for many years in elementary and middle school. Ann was principal of Ruth N. Bond Elementary School in Kirtland from February 1991 to July 1997. She was Director of Elementary Education for Central Consolidated Schools from July 1997 to July 1998. Ann was Executive Director of Elementary Education from July 1998 to August 1999. Ann was Assistant Superintendent Elementary Education from August 1999 until her retirement in June 2003.
Ann never married but she had great relationships with her siblings and their spouses. On 17 March 1981 Barton and Jeanne learned that they could adopt a baby girl who was born that day. Jeanne shared the news with Ann and she was almost as excited as Barton and Jeanne. Barton's family picked up that baby girl in Hobbs, New Mexico on 18 March 1981 and took her to Kirtland to be in the Palmer family. Ann's life was never the same. Barton's family lived next door to Ann and her mother. Tamra would run between the two homes and Ann loved it. Tamra spent many Friday nights having a sleep over at Aunt Ann's home. Ann would do everything for Tamra. Ann and Tamra spent numerous hours together and their close relationship continued until 31 August 2025. During the last few years Tamra and her husband Erik have cared for Ann and have done a marvelous job.
Ann's mother held family reunions in Kirtland beginning in 1982. Ann's siblings and their families would gather for a couple of days during the summer in even numbered years. Barton's family lived next door to Ann and her mother and between both houses they hosted all members of the family who attended the reunions. As many as 55 people participated in those family reunions. Ann put forth a tremendous effort to ensure that the reunions were a success. Those reunions provided an opportunity for Ann's siblings and their children and grandchildren to get to know each other. The reunions meant so much to Ann and her mother that the reunions continued in Kirtland for 16 years after Ann's mother passed away.
Ann and her siblings began having sibling reunions in 2010. In her professional life Ann was active in various teacher organizations. She attended many different continuing education seminars to improve her teaching and administrative abilities. Ann was a positive influence on hundreds of students and dozens of teachers and even a few administrators. Ann loved to sing and had a great voice. In 1963 Ann toured California and Nevada with the BYU Chorus. For many years she was involved in Sweet Adelines and her group sang at nursing homes as well as public events.
When the Albuquerque, New Mexico Temple was dedicated in 2000 by President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ann sang in the choir.
After Ann retired she served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Boston, Massachusetts from July 2003 to July 2005. Ann wanted to have her car on her mission and so Barton, Jeanne, and Tamra drove Ann's car to Boston for her and then flew back to Salt Lake City. At the conclusion of her mission, Barton, Jeanne, and Tamra flew to Boston to drive Ann back to Kirtland. On the way home they visited New York City where they did some temple work and watched Mama Mia on Broadway. They went to Niagara Falls and attended the Hill Cumorah pageant and the pageant in Nauvoo. They did some temple work in Nauvoo.
Ann sold her home in Kirtland, New Mexico and moved to Orem, Utah in 2010. She served her homeowners association as President for a number of years. She loved the people in her homeowner's association and appreciated how kind they were to her. She loved her ward and enjoyed being involved. Ann was active in Yushara a returned missionary association until she was no longer able to drive herself to their meetings.
Ann was always active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ann held many callings in her ward and stake during her lifetime. Ann was choir director a number of different times. Ann served a Stake Mission in the Kirtland New Mexico Stake. Ann served as Relief Society President in the Orem Second Ward for a number of years.
Ann enjoyed traveling. In June 1966 Ann drove her mother to the Washington DC area to help her sister Rose prepare for her upcoming wedding. She did a road trip back East with two of her friends in the 1970s. Ann and her mother went to Europe while her sister Rose and her family lived in Germany. In 1987 LaMont, Barton and their families along with Ann and their Mother did a road tour back East and visited many historical and religious sites. Ann took a cruise to Hawaii in 2002 with family members. She went to Alaska in 2007 with family members. She took a road tour of Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, and Banff Park in Canada in 2011 with brothers LaMont and Barton and their wives.
Ann was preceded in death by her father George Elmo Palmer on 14 July 1972, her mother Pearla Rozelle Peine Palmer on Christmas Day 1996, her brother Richard Edwin on 19 August 2017, her brother Elmo LaMont on 14 December 2023, and her sister Rose Lynn on 11 March 2025.
Ann is survived by her brother Barton LeRoy and his wife Jeanne; sister-in-law Sandra Palmer, brother-in-law Robert Dukelow, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grand nieces, and grand nephews.
Funeral services for Ann will be held in the Orem First Ward chapel at 80 South 280 East in Orem, Utah 84058, on Monday, 8 September 2025 at 6:00 pm. A public viewing will be at the chapel from 4:45 pm - 5:45 pm preceding the funeral services. A webcast of the funeral services will be available at www.walkersanderson.com.
Interment will be in the Kirtland - Fruitland Cemetery in Kirtland, New Mexico on Friday, 12 September 2025 at 2:00 pm.