Louise B. Palmer

Louise B. Palmer, 92, of Golden, Colorado passed away February 2, 2015, proceeded in death by her husband Donald M. Palmer. Louise is survived by children Don Palmer of Colorado Springs, Charles Palmer of Golden, Colorado and Alice Krattli of Lakewood, Colorado. Funeral services will be held Thursday, 9:30am at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 S. Wadsworth Boulevard. Interment will follow at 11:15am at Fort Logan National Cemetery. Louise, Mom, Ma, Granny Louise was a Kansas farm girl from Florence, Kansas - born June 26, 1922. In the 1920's horses were still being worked on farms and used as a form of transportation. As a youngster she was once thrown from a horse and survived a frightful tornado which terrified her. She remembers helping get the horses ready and helping her Grandpa hitch them up to plows, wagons and buggies. When she was seven years old her ""buddy"" Grandpa, the Florence Kansas police chief was gunned down by a department store burglar in 1929, only blocks from her home. Her parents and her brother Gene moved to Colorado in 1933 and left Louise with her grandmother. Louise moved with her grandmother to Denver in 1935. After the tragedy involving her Grandpa, her formable years were tough due to the move to Colorado, the Great Depression, and World War II. She was an exemplary example of the Greatest Generation embodying the qualities of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and strong moral values. She walked five miles to school, from 1060 South Chase to Lakewood High School located at 10th and Wadsworth, even during the winter, graduating May 28, 1940. Louise went to business school then worked as an assistant manager for a publishing company in Denver walking three miles each way to catch the Interurban trolley. She married Don Palmer on November 23rd, 1943 and they moved to 710 Carr. At the time, Don worked at General Iron Works, the largest machine shop west of the Mississippi, until he was inducted into the Navy June 28, 1944. Don would send home money from his extracurricular activity of playing cards, making and selling jewelry. Louise safe guarded these funds not touching a penny. Donald E. Palmer was born February 16, 1945 which added to Louise's responsibilities while Don was still serving his country. Upon discharge, May 28th, 1946, Don resumed his employment at General Iron Works while he was formulating his strategy to start a business. As Louise tells it, ""Don came home one day with his tool box and said 'that's it we're moving to Mount Vernon'"". What a shock. A second son, Charles had been born on November 1st 1946. With some of the monies they saved they bought three acres at the mouth of Mount Vernon Canyon. Don sold his pride and joy, a1934 Ford Victoria and bought a well-used 1 1/2 ton 1937 Ford Public Service truck. The approval for the business came through on December 2, 1947 so they started building the station. He bought a one room small house, 14' by 22', (a shack as Louise called it) and had it moved to the property in late February 1948. Louise learned to drive that brute of a truck, no power steering in those days, as that was their only vehicle. She worked alongside Don constructing the station besides attending to the two young children. Charles remembers Ma telling him about using a plumber's gasoline blow torch setting on the floor boards of that truck as a cab heater. She would go to Morrison or Golden, with Gene and Charles in tow, for domestic supplies and Denver for building materials which were scarce due to the war. She also related to us how the wind blew thru the clap boards of the small house causing the congoleum to blow up. She canned fruit and vegetables that would freeze in the apple crate cupboards. They hung comforters on the windows to keep out the snow and cold. There was no running water or electricity. They had to haul the water to the house and station from Morrison. During tough winter times if the water was in short supply they would fill buckets with snow and melt it on the stove. For many years she went down to their neighbors, the Bachman's, to wash the family clothes and linens. Through unimaginable conditions, hard work, dedication, hardship and sacrifice they opened the station on Easter Sunday April 1948 having just enough funds left to purchase their first load of gasoline. Alice was born October 17, 1949 coming home from the hospital in that worn out 1937 Ford 1 ½ ton truck. Louise worked long hours seven days a week alongside Don at the station doing whatever she needed to do to make the business venture a success and at the same time maintaining a household for the family. Pumping gas, installing tire chains, cleaning restrooms, helping Don do mechanical work in the garage, chasing parts, etc. Whew. She had to be as tough as nails to do that. As the business grew the 1 ½ ton truck was transformed into a tow truck and Louse took on a new challenge, keeping rattle snakes away from three kids. She was fearless going up against those reptiles, no matter the size, with her trusty shove. One day, she even grabbed a rattler by the tail that was going into the cafe and threw it out into the driveway. Louise had four other admirable distinct traits. 1) unconditional support for Don, Gene, Charles and Alice no matter the activities, 2) disciplinarian, 3) MD, 4) philosopher. She never missed a school activity where one of her children were involved or a race for the twelve years that Don raced stock cars. When Gene and Charles got involved with motorcycles, racing and later the fast dangerous sprint cars, she never uttered a discouraging word. She just made sure they had good proper safety equipment. Her support and caring for Don with his MS is beyond words. She unselfishly toiled 365 days a year for years helping him and never once felt sorry for herself. At times the MS would cause Don to verbally lash out at her and she would just let it roll off her as she understood that that wasn't the normal Don. She was quite a disciplinarian - just ask Gene, Charles, Alice, cousin Jerry and the grand kids about her being a disciplinarian. You certainly didn't give Louise any ""lip"" or back talk! Louise as an MD. If you didn't need stiches or had broken bones she took care of it ""the old way"". Trips to the medical doctor were for vaccines and stitches, nothing else. When the kids had a ""cold"" with head or chest congestion she applied mustard plasters and used salt rinses for the nose (which today people buy at a drug store). She did though make sure we went regularly to the eye doctor and dentist. As a philosopher she had old sayings or a quip for everything - like for the question: What's for dinner? What little Johnnie shot at...... , Isn't that a fine kettle of fish, cross as a bear with a sore heel, use it up - wear it out - make it do - or do without. Most of these saying and quips are very profound and gives you pause to think. As a home maker she was supreme and unmatched. She persevered through additions to the small house as the family grew. No matter the size of the house it was always immaculate as was she and her family members when they went out the door. She shined shoes, darned socks, mended torn clothes, pressed shirts, pants and pressed dresses. She even ironed bed sheets. Don's racing whites were spotless even though after a race night they became soiled with grease and oil. She had her special cleansers and her trusty scrub board to remove all stains on all clothing. Every possible corner, ledge, cubby hole, nook or cranny was dust free - no real need to change a furnace filter with her cleaning. Her home maker duties also included doctoring the pets, and mowing the weeds when the kids were off to school or when she became an empty nester. In addition to her over flowing plate of tasks, Louise kept the business books until the services of an accountant could be acquired. She was also accountable for the family finances. Even though Don was continually growing and expanding the business, through their frugal ways (saving S&H green stamps), she somehow managed to set aside enough money to put the boys through college of which she was proud. Another responsibility she took on while Don was fighting MS was watching and raising three grandchildren. She refused to let those grandchildren be ""raised by strangers"". Her and Don's influence on all five of their grandchildren was immense. Don could not have accomplished what he did as an entrepreneur, businessman, and raising a family without Louise. She was without any doubt the foundation that aided and kept this adventure and family together. Louise was one of a kind due to her undying devotion to her family, outgoing personality, sunny disposition, energy, and willingness to try anything! Not too many women get acknowledged or accredited as part of the Greatest Generation but Louise was unquestionably one of those exceptional hard working individuals that deserve all the accolades one can bestow on one person of the GREATEST GENERATION.