Lucille Palmquist

Lelah Lucille Palmer was born on April 27, 1931, in Canova, South Dakota, to Lelah Lucille Glessner and Frank Otis Palmer. She spent her youth in Canova, graduating from High School, always on the Honor Roll. In her youth, Lucille worked as a babysitter, grocery store clerk, waitress in a café and bakery, clothing store clerk at both women's and children's stores, and telephone operator. Lucille never had the privilege of attending college and was determined to be self-educated. Lucille attended the Canova Congregational Church throughout her youth, having twelve years perfect Sunday School attendance, where her father was the Sunday School Superintendent. One of her favorite Bible verses was "Study, to show thyself approved unto God, rightly dividing the Word." She was always reading and studying something new including: Art, Architecture, History, Politics, Museums, and World Religions. She took painting lessons from well-known South Dakota artist John Green. With a deep interest in genealogy, she discovered that her paternal lineage traced back to Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island and the first Baptist Church in America. Her maternal lineage traced back to William Bradford, who traveled to America on the Mayflower in 1620. He wrote the Mayflower Compact and established Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts. On her last oversees trip, Lucille visited Plymouth, England, and had her picture taken at the exact spot where the Mayflower set sail for America. In 2020, Lucille came to the realization that four-hundred years ago, her two ancestors had been at odds concerning baptism by immersion, and yet today they both have the same descendant in Lucille. A college professor once told her, "I would rather talk with you than my peers, as they only know one subject, whereas you know something about everything." She always felt that was one of the nicest compliments she ever received. In grade school, her favorite class was Geography where she developed a keen interest in foreign countries and diverse cultures which she was able to use in her adult years as a world traveler. Lucille visited all seven continents and eighty countries throughout the world. She especially loved cruising and riverboating. Visiting homes in Third World countries helped her to better understand the cultures. In her travels, she has seen much of God's creation, especially loving the pristine beauty of Antarctica. She often said, "It looks like God just made it yesterday". Throughout the world, she has observed many types of worship through various religions. Using her photography skills, Lucille presented travel-talks featuring places of worship around the world to various organizations and church groups. Lucille made sure she had many Christian tracts with her as she traveled, always looking for opportunities to witness about Jesus, her Lord and Savior. Many friends and casual acquaintances would ask Lucille to pray for them, some in person and often calling by phone. What amazed her the most was how complete strangers often approached her for prayer. Lucille was pleased her name meant "Shining light bearer." She often reasoned, "Perhaps they see Christ in me, I hope so." Lucille was continually active at Sun Prairie for many years, teaching children, Jr. High, young married couples, Seniors, and a home Bible Study for women. She developed much of the material through her own research. She was always involved in Ladies Air, being Co-Chairperson for the North side for five years, serving at many church dinners and farm sales. She helped create several women's programs, including a one-day retreat for women of nearby churches and "An Evening with Authors" featuring her mother, published author of over five hundred poems. Lucille was a choir member, Senior camp counselor, Deaconess, and Secretary for the Deacon Board, chairperson of the nominating committee, and on the Pastor Search committee. She was a board member of the North and South Dakota Baptist Council, attending leadership training seminars in Minneapolis, MN. She represented Sun Prairie as a voting delegate to many National General Baptist Conferences, receiving a certificate of appreciation in 1999 for the Heartland Baptist District. She was privileged to attend the Baptist World Alliance Congress held every five years on a different continent. Billy Graham was always the closing speaker. After moving to Arizona in 1986, Lucille attended Sunday morning worship and Sunday School class for fourteen years at First Baptist Church in Sun City West. She also attended Sunday and Wednesday evening services and Thursday morning prayer meetings at First Assembly of God church in Sun City West. In 2000, she joined the Assembly of God Church, with a dual membership, thereby retaining her membership in the Baptist General Conference. She laughingly called herself a "Bapticostal." Throughout her many years at the Assembly Church, now called Church on the Green, Lucille developed many friends, always thinking of them as her sisters and brothers-in Christ. She referred to them as her "Favorite People". In 1979, while attending a charismatic retreat in South Dakota, Lucille received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, with the gift of her Heavenly Language. She became extremely interested in the power, anointing and moving of the Holy Spirit, and furthered her studies in this area. In 1988, Lucille became a member of Aglow International, an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian Organization, which today is in 173 countries. Lucille loved Aglow and became involved throughout her life, giving credit for much of her Spiritual growth to Aglow training. She attended most meetings. She participated in a Mission Trip to Russia in 1994, entertaining orphaned children as "Blowsey" the clown. She also took part in a mission trip to the South Dakota Rosebud Indian Reservation, and a one-day door to door outreach in Kansas City. Throughout her years, she held various positions in Aglow including Publications Chairperson, Recording Secretary, Speaker in three states, and President of a South Dakota Neighborhood Lighthouse. She cherished her role as Prayer Chairperson, compiling an Intercessor's Training Manual for the twenty-three Triple-Cord prayer groups she founded. Lucille was privileged to be one of the first women in Aglow to complete the training and testing to become a Support Group Facilitator. She also was in the first group called "Watchmen on the Wall" for Israel receiving her training in California and her commissioning in Jerusalem, Israel, in May 2007. At that same time, she also attended the Knesset Caucus for Women. In 1999, she attended the Aglow Islamic Training held in Grand Island Nebraska presented by a born-again Muslim. In 2004, Lucille accepted the position of Prayer Ministry Chairperson at the Aglow National Conference held in Phoenix, Arizona. She met monthly with National Leadership and spent over a hundred hours on the computer training one hundred twenty prayer warriors who were under her leadership at the Conference. She was informed that this was one of the most successful Conference Prayer Ministry Rooms. In her South Dakota days, Lucille served on the prayer Team for both East River and West River. In her later years, Lucille felt God saying to her, "I've called you in the past to be a teacher, but now I'm calling you to a ministry of prayer." She accepted this calling from God and volunteered to lead in the 8:30 am prayer group at Church on the Green praying especially for America, Israel, Muslims, and the church Home Call Groups. Those who missed this prayer meeting lost a wonderful opportunity to be in God's presence. As the spirit moved mightily on Lucille, she listened to his promptings and led the group in an anointed two hours of prayer, worship and Spiritual singing. Throughout her years in Arizona the Lord led Lucille to start several Christian Groups. MIRIAM SISTERS, a gathering of women who hear from the Lord and love to share what God is saying to them. Around thirty women joined this group monthly in Lucille's home. MARTHA'S VINEYARD, a luncheon was served in Lucille's home for newcomers at church, those recently widowed, or strangers who needed a friend. Lunch followed by personal prayer. WEST VALLEY AGLOW HEALING ROOMS, Lucille was most proud of this achievement, she received the call from God while attending the 2005 Aglow National Conference in Nashville. She took her training in Spokane, WA, from Cal Pierce, and received her certification as Healing Room Director. She recruited around thirty volunteers and spent 2006 training them, in 2007, she opened the first West Valley Healing Rooms, where people continue to receive blessing and miracles through prayer and faith. A second Healing Room opened in Peoria and a third in Sun City because Lucille was obedient to God's call. While in South Dakota, Lucille was a "Member in Good Standing" of the Stonecroft Fellowship of Christian Women's Club, often entertaining with organ music. She also was a Bible Teacher for this group. Lucille studied piano as a child. In her senior years, she received from the Lord the gift of hearing music. She did the best of her ability to write the music down on paper. She not only heard the music, but God gave her the words plus verse of Scripture to go with most songs. She received seventy-five songs and choruses which she shared in hour long programs at both Baptist and Assembly of God churches. She would often say, "I have music in my soul". Her theme verse for her music ministry was "Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in Psalms, Hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." She called her musical ministry "Making Melody in My Heart." She gave God all the glory for these songs. One piece titled "Meet Me" expresses her desire to reunite with her children Heaven. Lucille was grateful that all her children and grandchildren were born again Christians and baptized by immersion. At one time, Lucille had her own newspaper column called "The Good News." She also had her personal testimony published in "Spirit Led Woman" magazine. She loved to write and journaled for many years, receiving many beautiful "Rhema" words, which are a wonderful record of her personal walk with the Lord. She often reminded others, "Only what's done for Christ, will last." Her favorite hymn was "Living for Jesus". In her late senior years, Lucille felt God calling her once again to be a teacher using the wealthy of material about the Holy Spirit that she had gathered over the years. She called the class "Understanding the Power of the Holy Spirit". She had a strong feeling that this was the last thing God was going to call her to do and that she was to continue teaching this class until God called her home to Glory. Lucille married LeRoy Palmquist on February 18, 1951. They had six children: Linda Joy (John Vanhove), Roland LeRoy (Nancy Pulford), Melanie Dawn (Rick Stopfer), Edward Scott, Crystal Kay (Michael Osman), and Adam Frank (Melissa Feige). Eleven Grandchildren: Troy Johnson, Kelly (Sarah), Shawn (Michelle), Austin (Abbey) Vanhove, Tara (Lori) Michael (Kimber) Palmquist. One Step Grandson, Cooper Osman, Twenty-four great grandchildren and three great, great grandchildren. Her greatest sadness in life was the loss of her two sons, Roland and Scott. LeRoy and Lucille farmed and ranched six miles south of Winfred, SD, for thirty-five years, before becoming Arizona Snowbirds, returning in Spring for planting and Autumn for harvest. They also loved spending time with all their children at Christmas. Lucille was an industrious farmer's wife, raising and butchering chickens, milking cows, feeding pigs, growing a huge garden, and canning much of the produce, pumping every drop of water used for bathing, laundry, drinking, and cooking. She also raised five of her six babies without a bathroom. Many strangers ate at her table. Salespeople knew LeRoy would always invite them for a meal. During the summer, nieces and nephews would often come to spend weeks at the farm. LeRoy promised Lucille that if she never complained about their house or lack of running water, he would someday build her a new house. LeRoy kept his promise and built Lucille two new homes. After fifty-two years of marriage LeRoy passed away in 2003. In 2006 Lucille married Jack Mohn of Sun City West. Jack passed away in 2022. Lucille spent her final three years at Grandview Terrace Assisted Living, receiving loving and compassionate care from staff directed by Chris Bailey and Thomas Ochoa. Savior Hospice and Hospice Nurse Amanda were dedicated to her comfort. We will always be especially grateful to them for their love and support. A memorial service will be held on Monday, May 12th at 10:30 AM at Church on the Green, located in Sun City West, Arizona. The funeral service and burial will take place on Friday, May 23rd at 11:00 AM. The location is Sun Prairie Baptist Church in Salem, South Dakota. Lunch will follow both services. All are welcome! To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lucille Palmquist, please visit our floral store.