Robert Phillip Palmer

1937 - 2016

Robert Phillip Palmer
Sept. 21, 1937-July 8, 2016
Resident of Aptos
Bob Palmer passed on July 8, 2016 at home. He was a long time resident of Aptos, with his wife Barbara and sons Grant and Brad. Other survivors include his daughter, Amy, and son Matthew. His parents, Marion and Grant Palmer, raised Bob in Victorville, CA.
Bob received his Bachelors of Science Degree from UC Santa Barbara, with a major in Economics. After graduating from the School of Architecture at U.C. Berkeley Bob moved to Honolulu where he worked for an architecture firm for 6 years. He was the principal planner for Makiki Park on Oahu, and worked on various large-scale townhouse projects throughout the islands. He was sent to Singapore to work with the local architects to design the first townhome project in the city-state. In 1975, he purchased his first of many computers. He was an early adoptee of using computers for drafting, design, and computations related to building. He taught architecture at both University of Hawaii and Cabrillo College.
He moved to Aptos in 1978 with his family from Hawaii. He enjoyed his work and the people he worked with over the years. His architectural style used an abundance of natural light. Until retirement in 2001 his office was in Capitola, and the projects were throughout Santa Cruz County. He designed residential, commercial, and planned unit developments, which included U.C.S.C. buildings, Aptos Village Park and S.P.C.A.s throughout California. During the days after the 1989 earthquake he and his partner, Tom Rahe, visited all their clients of all the properties they had designed and found that the buildings were not only standing but in a few cases were holding up the adjacent properties.
Never in the limelight, but he always quietly participated in the Aptos Community.
His favorite pastime involved boating and camping with his family and extended family. Boating brought all the family together over the years and Bob cherished all those times. He was able to become closer to relatives that he might have only seen occasionally. As an only child, he appreciated being around each and everyone one of them. When he had his stroke he thought his boating days would be behind him, but because of family support he was on a houseboat enjoying the lake in just 3 months, and continued to houseboat from California to Lake Powell always surrounded by loving, helpful family. It was the love of family that kept him going after many years of health challenges.
A memorial service was held for the family and close friends of Bob.


View the online memorial for Robert Phillip Palmer