Lois Adele Palmer, of Wenatchee and formerly of Chehalis, passed away Oct. 16, 2019, after a brief illness. She was 95. Lois was born April 18, 1924, in Chicago, to John and Margaret (DeVoe) Swiglow.
Lois spent most of her childhood in Colorado, skiing the slopes of Aspen before ski lifts were built. The family later moved to California where Lois graduated from Monrovia High School in 1942. She went to work as a secretary for the United States Army at Camp Santa Anita, where she met first lieutenant William M. “Bill” Palmer. They were married in Atlanta, Ga., June 11, 1944.
After the war, they made their home in Doty, where Bill built and operated Doty Garage. Lois worked as a secretary at nearby PeEll School. While in Doty, their three children were born, Diane, William T. and Susan. The family later moved to Chehalis where Bill became a partner at Glenn’s Auto Repair and Lois served as a legal secretary for Murray, Armstrong, Van der Stoep, and later, Remund. Lois thoroughly enjoyed her career and the wonderful professionals in that office.
After her husband’s death in 1998, Lois pluckily continued to “snowbird” in Phoenix. She loved bocce, Mariners baseball, golf, cruises, gardening, camping, spaghetti and cowboy boots. She was exceptionally talented at crafts including sewing, jewelry making and oil painting. Her absolute favorite activity though, was dancing.
She was universally loved and admired as a gracious, vivacious, capable, caring and courageous woman.
In 2011, Lois moved to Wenatchee to be closer to daughter, Susan. In 2014, Lois met and married Robert “Bob” Burke of Wenatchee.
Lois is survived by husband, Bob; daughters, Diane (Roger) Hansen and Susan (Gary) Gillin; son, William T. “Bill” (Cathy) Palmer; grandchildren, Kerry (Josh) Meskin, Tyler (Denise) Hansen, Emily (Andy Crocker) Palmer, Marin (Modesto Galeano) Palmer, Cody (Maura) Gillin, Piper Gillin and Mallory Gillin; and seven great-grandchildren.
Lois was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bill; and sister, Margie Watkins.
A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26, at Wenatchee Valley Christian Center. Donations in Lois’ name can be made to that church. A Palmer family memorial service will be held in Chehalis in the summer of 2020.
