Obituary for Joseph A. Palmer
Joseph A. “Joe” Palmer of Warwick passed away on Nov. 4, 2015 in Kent County Hospital after a brief illness. He was 86. Born in Pawtucket, he was the son of the late Joseph A. and Aline (Clarke) Palmer. He attended St. Sebastian School as a youth and graduated from St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket. A graduate of Providence College, he returned to college during his retirement earning a second Bachelor's degree from Connecticut College in history.
He was an avid reader and a student of maritime history with a keen and lifelong interest in submarines. His favorite author was the Belgian novelist Georges Simenon. Joe was a kind and generous gentleman who always had time to listen and share his love of books and classic cinema. He had many friends and acquaintances and enjoyed researching areas of interest for others by providing books and articles on the particular topic. He was a volunteer archivist at Lincoln School in Providence and a member of the Pawtucket Preservation Society. He was a frequent visitor and friend to many libraries and museums throughout the area including the Pawtucket Public Library, the Providence Athenaeum, the Rochambeau Library, the Redwood Library in Newport, the Brownell Library in Little Compton and the Battleship Cove Museum in Fall River. He loved animals and supported many animal welfare causes.
Joe was a Korean War era veteran of the US Navy and served on active duty at several US Naval bases and for several years in the Naval Reserve. Following the service, he began a career in insurance and spent over 30 years with The St. Paul Travelers in their underwriting and marketing departments.
More recently, he taught a course that was part of an insurance certification program at Rhode Island College.
He was a current member of the Providence Art Club and The Netopian Club and a former member of the University Club in Providence and The Graduate Club in New Haven, CT. He was an active member of the parish family at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Providence having served on the vestry as Clerk and as a faithful volunteer in the parish office.
He was predeceased by a beloved sister, Aline (Palmer) Simard of MA. He will be profoundly missed by all of his devoted friends and those whose lives he touched in so many ways with his unselfishness and thoughtful acts of kindness. A Funeral and Thanksgiving of his life will be held at St. Martin’s Church at 50 Orchard Avenue in Providence on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 11:00AM. Donations in his memory may be made to St Martin's Church.
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He was an avid reader and a student of maritime history with a keen and lifelong interest in submarines. His favorite author was the Belgian novelist Georges Simenon. Joe was a kind and generous gentleman who always had time to listen and share his love of books and classic cinema. He had many friends and acquaintances and enjoyed researching areas of interest for others by providing books and articles on the particular topic. He was a volunteer archivist at Lincoln School in Providence and a member of the Pawtucket Preservation Society. He was a frequent visitor and friend to many libraries and museums throughout the area including the Pawtucket Public Library, the Providence Athenaeum, the Rochambeau Library, the Redwood Library in Newport, the Brownell Library in Little Compton and the Battleship Cove Museum in Fall River. He loved animals and supported many animal welfare causes.
Joe was a Korean War era veteran of the US Navy and served on active duty at several US Naval bases and for several years in the Naval Reserve. Following the service, he began a career in insurance and spent over 30 years with The St. Paul Travelers in their underwriting and marketing departments.
More recently, he taught a course that was part of an insurance certification program at Rhode Island College.
He was a current member of the Providence Art Club and The Netopian Club and a former member of the University Club in Providence and The Graduate Club in New Haven, CT. He was an active member of the parish family at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Providence having served on the vestry as Clerk and as a faithful volunteer in the parish office.
He was predeceased by a beloved sister, Aline (Palmer) Simard of MA. He will be profoundly missed by all of his devoted friends and those whose lives he touched in so many ways with his unselfishness and thoughtful acts of kindness. A Funeral and Thanksgiving of his life will be held at St. Martin’s Church at 50 Orchard Avenue in Providence on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 11:00AM. Donations in his memory may be made to St Martin's Church.
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