Virginia Palmer

Virginia S. Palmer

Virginia Palmer was born January 21, 1914 the last of 9 children of Italian immigrants. She was raised in Eureka and was the first to go to school there as her siblings had all gone to a rural one room school. She graduated from White Pine High School in 1932 and was the first in her family to go to college. She attended the University of Nevada and reinforced with her associates degree began her teaching career in Antelope Valley, Eastgate, and Yerington. She began teaching at Mt. Rose Elementary School in 1942 and with her quick wit and steady loving discipline she instructed many Reno students who prospered and became future Nevada leaders. Her prowess in the classroom is legendary, but with her retirement in 1976 she continued to give back to the community. To the pleasure of her supporters who knew her winner's momentum she sought a four-year term on the Washoe County School Board. She walked her huge southwest Reno district in 1977 defeating three rivals in the primary and winning the seat. She claimed that walking door to door gave her a marvelous education. She was a quick learner and won a second term unopposed and captured a huge margin on her third-term run. School discipline was on everyone's mind when she initially sought election and she soon won the respect not only of the public, but of fellow trustees and school administration with her attributes of honesty, caring and diligence. As she always did her homework and was prepared, she faced her critics, listened well, disagreed agreeably, often prevailed and always followed up when she promised she would.

Her trustee achievements are numerable, but she was most proud of her help in fighting the demolition of the historic Mt. Rose School. She and others fought hard for the restoration and it came to pass. She also battled for the establishment of Washoe's Development Center, where top-flight teachers teach teachers how to teach and the establishment of an internship program for Washoe teachers at the University of Nevada-Reno. She was not only an advocate for women principals in the high schools, but also fought to have more counselors in the schools and was one of the leading allies in alternative education programs. Her comment about the widening student dropout problem was, "there is no graver danger! I'll keep working to alert the public to the importance of education." Of education in general she stated: "of course it all gets down to the teacher in the classroom, when all is said and done, it is the teacher who delivers the curricula and the importance of the teacher can't be overlooked."

Through the years she received many honors and awards. She was especially proud of the Virginia Palmer Elementary school opened in 1981 and dedicated in her name in 1989. In her final illness she was still conducting board meetings and thinking about her former students.

In addition to her teaching Virginia was an avid golfer. She golfed at Washoe and Lakeridge and once when asked her age said: "you'll be about as apt to get that as my golf handicap!"

She is survived by her niece Irene Marich and great nieces Jacqueline Starkweather and Marjorie Uhalde. She appreciated her special caregivers Elizabeth Mariscal and Elaine Serra and other caregivers and many friends too numerous to mention individually.

Her twinkling blue eyes and wry humor will be remembered by all who knew her.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday March 28, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Snows Catholic Church.

Donations in her memory can be sent to the Virginia Palmer Elementary School c/o principal Sue Parks: 5890 Klondike, Sun Valley, NV 89433.

Arrangements entrusted to the Walton Funeral Home- Reno.