Paul William Palmer

An Accidental Doctor During the Second World War, a straight A student was inducted into the United States Army as a flight mechanic. His entrance exam recommended him to receive specialized training in college as an engineer, and as the need for combat engineers was dwindling towards the end of the war he was reassigned to Medical School; an accidental chain of events that led to a long and productive career as a pathologist in the United States Army and private practice. Dr. Paul William Palmer, MD; born January 15, 1923, Galveston, Texas to Carey Alfred Palmer and Blanch L. Trussel Palmer; died of natural causes Saturday, October 26th, 2013. His father, District Director of Immigration and Naturalization Service, Chicago, Illinois died when he was twelve years old, and his mother, a school teacher, went to secretarial school to later become personal Secretary to Senator Warren Magnuson. He was raised in Spokane Washington, attended premedical studies at University of California, Berkley, and graduated from Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas 1948. He served in the United States Medical Corps until his retirement in 1966 as an Lieutenant Colonel, a veteran of the Second World War and Korean War, serving as pathologist in Heidelberg, Madigan General Hospital, and Chief Anatomical Pathologist of Walter Reid Army Hospital. In the Korean War he participated in the battle of Chosen Reservoir as Battalion Medical Officer, Second Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, Third Infantry Division. His battalion was the last to leave the retreat from Hungnam, where he was second to last to leave the beach head followed by battalion commander LTC Allen Peck. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for performing medical services to General of the Army Douglas MacArthur in 1964. Following his career in the United States Army, he served as Chief Pathologist Fitzsimons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado; followed by being an associate and consulting pathologist for several surrounding hospitals. He joined Glaxo Smith Kline Beecham as Pathologist Member in 1978, consulting to numerous hospitals in St. Louis, Missouri and surrounding areas until his retirement in 1993. Dr. Palmer was an avid fishermen, found of fly fishing since his youth. He was also well known for his Just Plain Spaniel and later Irish Wolfhound kennel; Approved Judge of American Kennel Club, one-term President of the Irish Wolfhound Association of West Coast, and founding member of the Colorado Lure Coursing Association. He is survived by his wife of thirty four years, Lynda Bronson Palmer, CPA; daughters Susan W. Palmer and Sarah D. Palmer; son Reid D. Kirby, grandsons Adrian Wolf and Brian R. Kirby; and great-grandson . PDF Printable Version

Paul William Palmer

January 15, 1923 - October 26, 2013