Obituary of Oliver H. Palmer

DELMAR- Oliver H. Palmer, 90, affectionately known as “Jolly Ollie”, passed away on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at the Hospice Inn at St. Peter’s Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Born in New York City on July 25, 1924, he was the son of the late Oliver and Elizabeth (Donahue) Palmer. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard until his discharge in 1948. He was employed by the Tobin Packing Co. for 35 years as a supervisor and later the Town of Bethlehem Highway Dept. for 10 years. Ollie was a member of the Elsmere Fire Co. for 62 years and a member of the American Legion Blanchard Post 1040 for 53 years. An avid race car driver, he started racing midgets and then stock cars, racing at Fonda Speedway, Menands, State Line, Devil’s Bowl, Pine Bowl, Lebanon Valley Speedway and Victoria. He was a member of the N.Y. State Stock Car Association and was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He was an animal lover, enjoying his cat Suki who always followed him around and always having dog biscuits in his pocket for dogs. He always had a big smile and a cigar in his mouth and was known for his red socks. Survivors include his wife, Barbara M. Palmer, with whom he spent the past 67 years; daughters, Terry (David) Mirabile of Knox and Cynthia Jo (Donald) Maclutsky of Delmar; a grandson, Nicholas (Jaime) Mirabile and a granddaughter, Jenna (Rory) Delaney; a sister, Marie Kadlick of Athens; and a brother, David Palmer of Ravena. The family would like to thank the staff at St. Peter’s Hospice Inn for their excellent loving care and the Elsmere Fire Department for their support through Ollie’s illness and for over six decades of friendship. Relatives and friends are invited to call on Wednesday, May 27th from 4 to 7 pm at the Applebee Funeral Home, 403 Kenwood Ave., Delmar. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 9:30 am Thursday, May 28th at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 35 Adams Pl., Delmar. Burial will be in Bethlehem Cemetery. Donations in his memory may be made to the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, 3 Oakland Ave., Menands, NY 12204 or Community Hospice of Albany, 445 New Karner Rd., Albany, NY 12205.