Robert "Bob" Palmer

Robert (Bob) I. Palmer, Sr. passed away April 18, 2025. Bob was born in Livingston, Montana in August 1927. He married Orlee M. Hanson in 1952. They had three children, Melanie (Al) Tibbitts, Robert (Sandy) Palmer and August (Patty Palmer). Bob was a toddler when the family moved to Denver. He was the oldest of five siblings, Walt, Chuck, Dick, Betty, and Joyce. Growing up in Denver attending school there, Bob was a Boy Scout, in ROTC, played football, played the trumpet, and traveled with his father’s band to dances around southeastern Wyoming and northeastern Colorado areas. The family moved to Cheyenne in 1944 prior to his senior year of high school. He graduated from Cheyenne High School early to join the Navy in May 1945.

During his school years Bob worked various jobs to help the family. As a very young boy and later as a teen, he sold newspapers, collected pop bottles, mowed lawns, repaired bicycles, was a restaurant dishwasher, and a butcher/meat market worker. When in Cheyenne prior to graduation, and in between military service deployments he worked at Safeway, OP Skaggs, Greyhound Bus lines, Burkes Moving and Storage, United Airlines, Wyotts Manufacturing Company, bought, repaired, and sold cars (1947-2015), and bought and sold hogs with a partner. He recalls living in Cheyenne when the only stop light was located at Lincolnway and Logan Avenue.

Bob joined the Navy at age 17 upon graduating early which his father had to sign granting permission. He attended basic training in 1944 at the Naval Training Center in San Diego. Bob had the highest rifle shooting score of 148 out of 150 in a group of 300 men at the El Toro Marine Base San Diego CA. He served in WWII as a Navy Motor Machinist Mate 3/C (third class) May 1945 until August 1946. Bob was stationed at Pearl Harbor (Ford Island) from November 1945 until mid-July 1946 as a machinist and learned the mechanic trade while there. He served in the Korean War as a Navy Motor Machinist Mate 2/C (second class) from July 1950 to November 1951. He was in the Navy Reserves from 1946 until 1950. He served on the CVL25 USS Cowpens, DD807 Harland R Dixon, USS Alabama BB60, US President Hayes Transport, DE US Grady destroyer escort, and LST 1101 anti-aircraft at Inchon Peninsula in the Yellow Sea. Bob received various campaign ribbons and medals: Asiatic Pacific, WW II Victory, National Defense, Korean Service, United Nations, Navy Occupation Service, Korean Medal Thank You and Certificate.

Bob served at Warren Air Force Base Civil Service Vehicle Maintenance for thirty-six years and retired as Foreman in August 1982. He built his home garage out of railroad ties and stucco in 1953 for the family vehicles which also provided shelter to repair friends and family’s vehicles for sixty plus years. Bob continued his strong entrepreneur leadership and business management skills to provide his family with many weekends camping and vacations every year. He and his wife, Orlee, established and built Palmer’s Auto Service in 1985 which they owned until its closure in 2011. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and traveling with Orlee.

Bob served in various volunteer, civic and fraternal organizations including Masonic Lodge Acacia #11 and received his 33rd degree September 2019, Masonic Building Board for eleven years, became a Shriner in November 1981 and was a member of Scottish Rite. He also served on the Laramie County Volunteer Fire Department District #2 1970 to 1973, was chosen as Laramie County Volunteer Fireman of District #2 in 1970 and 1971, was a member of VFW 1947, a 1990 charter member of VFW Post 11453, member of American Legion since 1950, served as Laramie County GOP precinct committeeman, served on the Laramie County Senior Citizens Board and the Salvation Army Board. Bob was appointed to the Wyoming Veteran’s Commission by Governor Geringer in 1999, reappointed in 2001 and again reappointed by Governor Freudenthal for 2003 to 2005.

He married Orlee Hanson on December 6, 1952, at the original First Baptist Church in downtown Cheyenne. They were married for sixty-two years. Bob is survived by daughter, Melanie (Al) Tibbitts and son, Robert (Sandy) Palmer, granddaughter, Monica Ramirez, three great grandchildren, Joelene, Natalee and Coleton, and his great great-grandson, Eli and his sister Joyce Strong of California. He is also survived by his longtime friend and companion, Peggy Corbin, as well as numerous nieces, nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Orlee, his son, August, his parents Fred and Mary Palmer, three brothers and a sister. His legacy of strong work ethic and service to others will live on through those who knew and loved him.

A Masonic Rose Croix Funeral will be on May 28, 2025 at the Masonic Temple, 1820 Capitol Ave, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a reception. Interment with military honors will be at 1:00 pm located at Cheyenne Memorial Gardens, 4701 Christiansen Rd.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his name to the Cheyenne Masonic Temple Endowment Fund at 1820 Capitol Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82001. Donations to this fund are tax deductible.