Lydia Jane (Bergen) Palmer

Female 1909 - 2003  (94 years)


 

Palmer, Lydia Jennie

The Newton Kansan

Lydia Jennie Palmer

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- Lydia J. Palmer, 94, formerly of Newton, died Tuesday (Jan. 21, 2003) at Paoli Hospital in Paoli, Pa. She was born Jan. 20, 1909, to Abraham S. and Elizabeth (Riffel) Bergen in Buhler. They preceded her in death. She married Henry Alonzo "Steve" Palmer Nov. 5, 1945, in Hutchinson. He preceded her in death Feb. 19, 1989. Her childhood was spent in Buhler, Lyons and Newton until 1937 when she moved to Wichita. During World War II, she worked as a welder at Cessna Aircraft. She then became a Prudential Insurance Agent. In the early 1950s, she moved to Mountain Grove, MO., where she owned and operated a bowling alley and cafe. Moving to Norman, Okla., in the early 1970s, she managed a Dairy Queen. In the late 1970s she moved to Newton and managed the Quick Fill. In 2002, she moved to Newtown Square, Pa., to live with a granddaughter. She enjoyed gospel singing and playing the piano with the Four Generations Family music group, which traveled to area churches and nursing homes to perform. She was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene in Newton.

Survivors include: a son, Gene Palmer of Valley Center; a daughter, Doris Williams of Chickasha, Okla.; three step-sons, Lonnie Palmer of Salinas, Calif., Sterling Palmer of Newton and Gary Palmer of Kingman; two stepdaughters, Carol Jewell Palmer of Newton and Jacquelin Russell of Kingman, Ariz.; two brothers, Harold Bergen of Henderson, Colo., and Ernest Bergen of Illinois; three sisters, Pauline Woolery of Tennessee, Edith Brown of Kansas City, Kan., and Verna Frey of Mesa, Ariz.; 11 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; 18 great-great-grandchildren; 16 step-grandchildren; 12 step-great-grandchildren; and four step-great-great-grandchildren.

She also was preceded in death by: a stepson, Orville Palmer; a daughter, Barbara Watson; a brother, Eldo Bergen; and two grandsons, Robert L Palmer and David Watson.

Visitation will be from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m. Friday with family greeting friends from 7 to 8:30 p. m. at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home. Funeral service will be 11 a. m. Saturday at First Church of the Nazarene with Pastor Bernie Dickson officiating.

Burial will be in Restlawn Gardens of Memory in Newton.

Memorials have been established with the Music Department of the First Church of the Nazarene in care of the funeral home.   


Owner/SourceHarvey County Genealogical Society
Date23 Jan 2003
Linked toLydia Jane (Bergen) Palmer




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