Martha Palmer

Martha Palmer 85, of Ballinger, TX, lost her hard-fought battle with
Alzheimer’s disease surrounded by the warmth of her family on
Wednesday, November 20, 2019.

She was born Martha Jean Dean in Ballinger, TX January 08, 1934 to Hub
and Jewell Dean. She was the youngest of three children and was the product
of a happy childhood. Though she came into the world at the end of The
Great Depression if there were struggles of putting food on the table her
parents never showed it. One of the few toys she had as a girl was a drum
major baton that she must have practiced for hours on end with and kept
twirling in the band through all of her school years and even made exhibition
appearances at such places as the Horseshoe Drive-In movie theater in
Ballinger.

She met the love of her life James Hoyle Palmer at her dad’s station and
they were married December 23, 1950, almost 69 years! Although
Alzheimer’s robbed her of nearly everything, it could not steal the love she
and her husband had for one another.

No sooner did she get back from her honeymoon at Pikes Peak Colorado.
She started back to work on education. Starting out at San Angelo Junior
College (now Angelo State University) she continued on to Howard Payne,
and then to Hardin Simmons and finally back to Angelo State to get her
Masters Degree. She taught her first year at Blackwell ISD and the
following 42 years of her teaching career impacting the lives of students at
Ballinger ISD.

She was also very active in several civic clubs and organizations as well
as the First Presbyterian Church of Ballinger all the while making time for
the number one priority her family. She was also an avid animal lover and
took care of many dogs, cats, and grandchildren’s assorted pets.

She was preceded in death by her parents E. H. (Hub) and Ida (Jewel)
Dean; her brothers Herb (Boonie) and George William (Bill) Dean; Father
and Mother in Law Jim and Johnnie Palmer; and granddaughter Jamie Sue
Palmer.

She is survived by her husband James H. Palmer; Her son Herb and his
wife Debbie of Ballinger; grandson J. H. and wife Liz of Ballinger; and great
grandchildren Kynlee, Lincoln and Hendryx.

We would like to thank her wonderful caregivers Minnie Cortez, Mary Jane
Perez, Sylvia Jalomo, and Mellissa Diaz. Along with Dr. Bradly Bundrant
and the caring staff of Ballinger Memorial Hospital.

Martha had a wonderful life full of love and lived to the fullest up until and
even sometime into the onset of Alzheimer’s disease but she is now where
she was always destined to be, in heaven with our Lord and Savior free
from all of the burdens of this world.

Visitation for Martha will be held at Lange Funeral Home on Friday, November 22, 2019, from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2019, at 2:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church with Brenda Church presiding.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Alzheimer Association or
Ballinger Humane Society.