PERU – On the morning of October 11, 2020, the world lost the beautiful soul of Judith M. (Vaillancourt) Palmer, 78, of Valley Road, Peru. She was born on April 27, 1942, in Rumford, Maine, the daughter of William and Edith Vaillancourt. She attended St. Theresa’s School and graduated from Mexico High School in 1961. While in High School she worked for Grant’s Department Store in Rumford.

Judy married Weston Palmer on May 26, 1962, and they eventually built their own home, and settled in Peru with their three children. She rejoined the workforce in 1975, working at Bass Shoe in Wilton, with the intent of making enough money to buy a living room set. The goal eventually became a family trip to Florida and then her work life just became a regular part of her daily life. Shortly after leaving Bass Shoe, she started working for Diamond Match and then Boise Paper Company. She retired from Mead-Westvaco in 2000. Each place she worked, she would treasure the friendship of her co-workers and gained many life-long friends. In her retirement she worked part time at Murphy’s Accounting Services in Rumford, working with her daughter and son-in-law every tax season since 2000.

Several years after Weston’s passing in 1984, Steven Cormier of Poland, Maine, became her longtime companion. They had many hobbies they enjoyed together. One of their favorites was traveling New England, searching out yard sales and antiquing looking for treasures along the way. Judy was always so busy with hobbies and activities that her family would often joke that she was harder to get a hold of after she retired than when she was working. She was an active member of the Mexico Class of ’61 reunion committee and loved meeting up with her former classmates. In recent years, she became a skilled quilter belonging to RAQ (Rumford Area Quilters) and Ladies of the Lake quilting group. She often donated her quilts to various charity groups. Her quilting group was very important to her and she enjoyed the friendship of her fellow quilters. She also enjoyed gardening, canning, shopping and meeting friends for lunch. She loved to cook, and family and friends rarely left her house without some baked goods, or meal for a lunch later on. In her generosity she donated her time and effort to various benefits and non profits such as Toys for Tots and Woodford Family Services among others. She took pleasure and satisfaction in maintaining her home, gardens, and lawns.

Judy’s pride and joy was her family and she was always happiest when she was around them. She loved attending any school or sporting event that her grandchildren or great grandchildren were involved in. To her, food-filled family gatherings were not just for holidays and birthdays. She would make apple-picking, spring clean-up, and piling wood in the fall so special that they would become treasured family traditions. Her commitment to her family knew no bounds. Despite her fear of flying, she would face her fear and fly to Florida to be at the wedding of her granddaughter, Jennifer, the funeral of her brother, Sonny, and the birth of her three great-grandchildren, Amelia, Aurora, and Asher.

She is survived by her three children; Deborah Murphy and her husband Willy of Roxbury; Lisa Noyes and her husband Al of Hartford; Ryan Palmer and his wife Cindi of Windham; her six grandchildren; Jennifer Wentzell of Peru; Michael Wentzell and his fiancé Carly Shea of Dixfield; Sean Murphy of Norridgewock; Bradley Palmer-Desiato and his wife Vanessa of Swampscott, Mass.; Brandon Palmer of Brighton, Mass.; her three great-grandchildren Amelia, Aurora, and Asher Maillet of Peru; her companion Steven Cormier of Poland, Maine; and her brother Raymond Vaillancourt of Mexico.

Judy was predeceased by her husband, Weston of 22 years in November of 1984; her brother, Sonny Vaillancourt; and her parents, William and Edith Vaillancourt.

The family would like to thank Androscoggin Home Health and Hospice, Dr. Nicholette Erickson and her staff, and the nurses and caregivers at Rumford Community Hospital for their compassionate care in her final days. We would also like to thank Father Nathan for his visit and prayers for Judy.

Friends and family are invited to sign the online guest book and share their thoughts, condolences and memories of Judy online http://www.meaderandson.com.

Friends and family are invited to a celebration of life on Friday, October 23, 2020, from 6-8 p.m., at the Meader & Son Funeral Home, 3 Franklin St., Rumford, Maine. Social distancing and mask will be required. Due to COVID-19 restrictions funeral services will be private and by invitation only. Interment will be in St John Cemetery in Rumford.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either the food pantry at the United Baptist Church in Peru, or Responsible Pet Care of Oxford Hills.