1936 – 2003

LEWISTON – David R. Palmer, 67, was born in Dixfield, Feb. 6, 1936, the son of Rodney and Beatrice Butler Palmer, recently lost a two year courageous and one hell of a battle with cancer, Sunday, Sept. 14.

After having lived in Connecticut, for two years, he returned to Dixfield where he remained until his death. He attended Dixfield schools where he was an all-star athlete in football, baseball and especially hockey. He was a member of the hockey all state team and graduated from Dixfield High School in the Class of 1954.

Upon graduation he entered Oxford Paper Mill and married Marlene A. Pepper in 1956. He then went into the U. S. Navy for two years and worked on an airplane mechanics crew. He was stationed in Puerto Rico and then in Providence, R.I., before returning to Peru, with two daughters in the new family.

He returned to the mill and worked there for 27 years in the north end rewinder room. After a series of workplace injuries he became one of Maine’s Worker Compensation’s first and best rehabilitation cases.

He finished out his 42 years in the 5th floor engineering as head of documentation control. He was extremely proud of helping to develop and maintain that program which is still in use in the mill today. He received many accolades for his work ethic and dedication.

He was always an expert at whatever he wanted to do. He thrived on creating a better and different way to be successful.

He was an avid outdoorsman and became consumed in many ventures throughout his years such as trap and skeet shooting, snowmobile racing, riding motorcycles, archery, trapping, hunting, running hound dogs, building and flying remote control airplanes, building a dune buggy, crafting stocks and forearms for all types of guns, musket loading, and most recently he prided himself in his expertise as both a fresh water and salt water fisherman.

He promoted his love for the outdoors and shared his talents with anyone he could. He was very proud of his choices in life and his proudest accomplishment was providing for his family the best way he could.

He is survived by four daughters, Terri and Wes Shonholtz of Bowdoinham, Denise Palmer of Berlin, N.H., Tracy and Greg Wilson of Winthrop and Dawn and Rob Pettingill of North Monmouth; 10 grandchildren, Sabrina Hoffman, Garrick, Sarah and Kelsie Wilson, Patrick, Wesley and Michaela Shanholtz, RJ Pettingill, Winnie Mae and Christian; a brother, Dennis; his mother-in-law, Sarah Pepper; a brother-in-law, George Thomas and his family; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and some terrific friends.

He was predeceased by his parents; and wife of 49 years. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him throughout his life.