Willis "Bill" Palmer

Willis “Bill” Palmer, age 82, of Ortley, SD, died on June 20, 2018, at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis, MN.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, June 25, 2018, at 2:00 pm at Ortley Free Lutheran Church with Pastor Bob Grebel officiating.

Honorary bearers are all who called Bill “friend.”

Willis William Palmer was born on May 10, 1936, in Kelliher, MN, to Willis Franklin and Vida Jane (Cypher) Palmer. Bill served in the United States Army from 1957 until 1960.  He was stationed with the 93rd Engineer Company and was stationed in Germany.

Bill met Jannis Marie McCraney in Wasta, SD. Only a few months later, on June 9, 1962, they were united in marriage in Rapid City. Bill and Jannis lived in various places during their marriage including Watertown, SD, rural South Shore, SD, Grand Forks, ND, Lincoln, NE, and Upton, WY. In 2001, they moved to Ortley, SD.  Bill worked as a plumber before working as a process operator for the Department of Energy – coal gasification plant in Grand Forks, ND.

Bill and Jannis loved traveling to Arizona.   Bill and Jannis were life-members of the Quartzite Gem and Mineral Club.  Bill worked behind the scenes as a maintenance worker.  He was a member of Ortley Free Lutheran Church.

Willis “Bill” Palmer is survived by sons: Victor (Joe’L) Palmer of Sioux Falls, SD; LaDuke Palmer of Ortley; and Franklin (Julie) Palmer of Omaha, NE; six grandchildren: Jenna Palmer; Joshua Palmer; Austin Palmer; Zachary Palmer; Shawn Palmer; and Bella Rose Palmer (and her mother, Heather Palmer); brother, Roy (Susan) Palmer of Brookings, SD; sister, Hattie Kuwamoto of Nebraska; sister-in-law, Donna Palmer of Clark, SD;as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and wife, Jannis, on September 18, 2014; brother, Leonard Palmer; and sister, Bea Bigley.