Ellie Palmer

Reverend Dr. Ellie Winfield Nathaniel Palmer SUMTER - Funeral services for Reverend Dr. Ellie Winfield Nathaniel Palmer will be held Monday, October 22, 2018 at Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, 805 S. Main St., Sumter, SC, with the Dr. Marion H. Newton Senior Pastor officiating. Interment will follow in the Hillside Memorial Park, Sumter, S.C. The public may view Sunday from 3-8 PM at Palmer Memorial Chapel with the family receiving friends from 6- 8 PM. Rev. Palmer transitioned on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 at his residence in Sumter, SC. He was born in Eutawville, SC, and was the eighth of twelve children born to the late Rev. Josiah and Zadie Smith Palmer. Ellie was a graduate of Roberts High School in Holy Hill, South Carolina, Class of 1952. He began his education at Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina. In 1954, he was drafted into the United States Army and served his country during the Korean Conflict. After serving two years, he returned to South Carolina and completed his degree at Morris College where he received a B.S. Degree in Mathematics in 1959. He also received a B.D. Degree in Theology in 1979 from Morris College. In 1976, he was awarded a Master of Education Degree in Secondary Education from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Ellie was baptized at First Baptist Church in Vance, South Carolina and later moved to Sumter, South Carolina in 1952 where he joined the Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church under the pastorate of the late Dr. Benjamin F. Weston. Dr. Palmer has been a faithful member of Jehovah Baptist Church for 62 years. Dr. Ellie W. Palmer was married to the late Rev. Dr. Shirley M. Palmer and to this union three children were born, Wanda, Ronald and Ellie II. His son Larry was born prior to his marriage. For thirty-one years, Dr. Palmer was the Pastor of High Hills Baptist Church in Dalzell, SC. He served as a high school mathematics instructor at Central High School, (Cross, South Carolina). In 1965, he was employed by Sumter County School District Two as a high school mathematics instructor and assistant coach at Eastern High School. During integration, he was transferred to Mayewood High School as mathematics teacher/coach for eleven years and in 1973 he was promoted to Assistant Principal. Dr. Palmer served as Assistant Principal for five years until 1977, when he was promoted as the First African American Principal of Mayewood High School. He remained in the position for twenty years. In 1992, Dr. Palmer retired from the field of education after thirty-three years of faithful and successful service in the schools and the community. Dr. Palmer served the Morris College Sumter Alumni Chapter and was a past national alumni president. On May 10, 2003, Morris College was pleased to confer upon Dr. Palmer the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Divinity. Dr. Palmer was a lifetime member of the NAACP. He served as a member of the Morris College Board of Trustee; Wateree Baptist Association Lower Division, Vice Moderator and past Moderator; and South Sumter Revitalization Committee Advisory Member. He was a member of Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church. His survivors include Wanda Palmer Brown of the home, Ellie Winfield II (Mildred) Palmer of Sumter, SC, Larry (Yvette) Haigler Philadelphia, PA, Ronald Winfield (Debograh) Palmer of Blythewood, SC; five brothers Rev. Benjamin F. (Annie Ruth) Palmer, Joe (Claire) Palmer, John (Elizabeth) Palmer, Samuel (Elsie) Palmer of Eutawville, SC and James (Ruby) Palmer of Holly Hill, SC; one sister Ernestine Palmer (Henry) Mack of Bronx, New York; one brother in-law, Eugene McFadden of Sumter, SC; nine grandchildren; Nehemiah (Ebony), Amber, Perrin (Yessica), Brittany, Brianna, Tamiris, Tianna, Ethan, and Aidan; three great grandchildren, Saniyah, Siani and Katalina, and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends; and caregivers: Eugene McFadden, Freddie Bennett, Linda and Pete Taylor, Anthony Rich, Mildred Palmer, Ethan Palmer, Aiden Palmer and Hospice Care of SC: Dr. Billy Clowney, Dr. William Kellogg, Mandy Harrison, Latoya McKenzie, and Daisy Godwin. He was preceded in death by brothers Frank and Isaac Palmer and Sisters Mary Lee Palmer Fuller, Emma Palmer Myers and Cora Lee Palmer Bowman. Special daughter Linda Pinckney Taylor of Cross, SC. Dr. Palmer's favorite scripture is "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 Condolences may be made on his tribute page found at:www.PalmerMemorialChapel.com Professional services rendered by Palmer Memorial Chapel, Inc.