Donald K. Palmer

PALMER DONALD K. PALMER Donald K. Palmer died of prostate cancer on Saturday, May 16, 2009 at age 85. Don Palmer, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, was born in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan and attended Alma College for a year before serving in the Army for three years in World War II. He received a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University. The first 18 years of his career were spent in government service, first in the Marshall Plan and its successor agency, and then at the State Department. He and his growing family were stationed in England and Greece for seven years during this period. Don left the State Department in 1969 as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Latin American Economic Affairs. He then spent the final 16 years of his career at the International Monetary Fund as Deputy Director of the Exchange and Trade Relations Department. Don enjoyed a vigorous and healthy retirement, traveling around the world with his beloved wife Betty, playing tennis until age 80, and nearly shooting his age on the golf course earlier this year. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Betty; his daughter, Beth Palmer (Bill Pettis), and their daughter, Julie Pettis; his daughter, Julie Palmer, and her daughter, Emilie; his son, Jeff Palmer (Mimi Zolan), and their sons, Nick and Michael; and his son, Win Palmer (Dawn Palmer), and their sons, Matt and Tyler. A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, May 31st at 10:30 a.m. at Bretton Woods Recreation Center, 15700 River Road, Germantown, MD. Instead of flowers, contributions may be made to Doctors without Borders, 333 Seventh Ave., 2nd Floor, NY, NY 10001 or Montgomery Hospice Foundation, 1355 Piccard Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850.