William McKenzie "Mack" Palmer

William McKenzie "Mack" Palmer William McKenzie "Mack" Palmer died on May 1, 2011 at Granada Hills, CA. He served his country, loved his family, worked hard, made a lot of folks laugh and lived a wonderful life. Born on June 6, 1924, in Johnstown, PA, the son of William Goff Palmer and the former Mary Jane McKenzie, he was a B-29 combat crew instructor during World War II who rose to the rank of captain. He graduated in 1949 under the GI Bill with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oklahoma and was a retired Mobil Oil marketing representative, working last at Beaumont, TX. Mack moved in 1928 to Oklahoma City, where he attended public schools, graduating in 1942 from Classen High School. In 1949, he and the former Doris Jeanne Wiggins were married at Oklahoma City. Though a military career appealed to Mack, he and his wife decided that would involve too much travel, so he went to work for Mobil - and then moved a dozen times in the ensuing years to several sections of the United States. His great-grandfather, John Bly, a Texas Ranger, made the first Oklahoma land run, in 1889, settling on a farm near the Chisholm Trail at Union City. Mack traveled the world as often as he could, across the United States and to many foreign nations. He attended numerous air shows and made trips to Egypt, Russia, Malta, China, Japan, England, Australia and Switzerland, cruising the Nile, Rhine, Yangtze and Volga rivers well into his 80s. His adventures included skydiving and diving beneath the sea in a 75-pound helmet. He was on aircraft of all sorts, attending air shows or travelling. His flight experiences ranged from the supersonic Concorde jet to World War I vintage planes, including a craft operated by the Red Baron pizza chain. He flew one of the last flights made by the Concorde, being invited by the crew during the flight into the pilots' cabin. A classmate of collegiate football legend Darrell Royal at OU, Mack remained in touch with the noted coach throughout his life. Mack was a member of the OU Club of Austin, the Commemorative Air Force, Scots of Austin, Air Force Assn. the University of Oklahoma Alumni Assn., Prostate Cancer Survivors, Texas Rangers Descendants Foundation, the Classen High School Alumni Assn., the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, Friends of the Fighting Aces, the 78th Fighter Group Assn. and the Aviation History Assn. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and a brother, Paul, a World War II and Korean War veteran of the Air Force. Surviving are a sister, Mary Jane Benke, Tucson, AZ; two sons, Stuart Palmer, Alpine, TX, and Griffin Palmer, Granada Hills, CA; and granddaughters, Avalon McKenzie, Chyna Palmer and Alexa Palmer. Final resting place will be at Rose Hill Cemetery, Chickasha, OK, where Mack's wife and a number of his extended family also are at rest. A memorial service is planned in Austin, TX, on May 21. For information on this, please contact Grif Palmer, grifpalmer@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Us TOO Prostrate Cancer Education and Support. Love you Dad...