Imogene Berniece Palmer

Services are 11 a.m. Thursday, June 30, at Montgomery-Viets Chapel in Buffalo with the Rev. Wayne Mayes officiating. Burial is July 6 in Mesa, Ariz. Imogene Berniece Palmer, 85, was born April 30, 1926, in Strickler, Ark., the daughter of Edward and Kizzie (Tidwell) Percifield. She died June 26, 2011, at her home in Tunas, after a long battle with cancer. She moved with her family to Whitefield, Okla., in February 1932. After her father’s health failed the family moved to Mesa, Ariz., where other family members lived. She and her sister, Geraldine, went to work for Consolidated Fruit Packers where she met the love of her life, Jack D. Palmer, who was stationed at Williams Air Force Base. They were married Aug. 6, 1944. During their marriage they lived for a time in Seattle, Wash., Christobal Canal Zone, Panama, and Coolidge and Mesa, Ariz. She continued to work for Consolidated Packers and advanced to floor lady for Clark Packers and then supervisor for Penn Mor, that made lingerie for Sears. She loved that and was a great seamstress and could get lots of lace and sewing notions at the employee store. She made everything from lingerie to suits and draperies. Later in her life she found she was quite a good artist and did watercolor paintings. She liked to do ceramics at Nelson Senior Center and was a talented lady. Her husband took an early retirement, and so did she. They spent the summers salmon fishing in Eureka, Calif., and traveled to Hawaii, Alaska, Canada and other places. After her husband’s death in 1994, she bought a place in Tunas, where she and her son raised calves for several years until he died in 1999. After that her main interest was traveling with her daughter and her family. They took several cruises. She loved her flowers and had a beautiful yard. She did ceramics and played cards with her friends until her health failed. She was saved and attended the Plad Baptist Church where she loved everyone and was sad when she could no longer attend. She was a kind and thoughtful person who was always willing to help anyone. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son, Vaughan Neal Palmer; two brothers: Argel and Kenneth Percifield; and two sisters: Geraldine Mounrey and Thelma Cross. Survivors include her daughter, Carol and husband, Daniel Mattson; granddaughters: Danielle Mattson, Stacey Powell and Dana Mattson; great-granddaughters: Whitney Marcum and Makayla Marcum; and great-grandson, Carter Palmer Gregory. She will be greatly missed by all.

Imogene Berniece Palmer

April 30, 1926 - June 26, 2011