Ken Palmer

 

Kenneth Darell Palmer

9/21/1946 ~ 9/21/2022

Kenneth Darell Palmer died peacefully on September 21, 2022 at home surrounded by his family after valiantly enduring 35 years of health challenges. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, J.Duffy Palmer and Jocelyn Jensen Palmer.

Ken was born on September 21, 1946, in Winslow Arizona. He was born happy and would wake up with a big smile no matter the hour. Ken started his ranch work early, at five years old, he roped six of the neighbor’s dogs and tied them to the fence in his yard. Thankfully, his mother intervened before he could brand them. Ken has been known for his eternal optimism; as a small boy he was sure he could fly off the shed roof with a sheet for his wings.

Ken had a tremendous love for all sports but particularly football. He loved to play, and his grit and passion always made up for his lack of size. Football pads and helmet made him feel invincible and he would get pummeled and get back up, pummeled, and jump back up, hit again and again by players twice his size but would always get back up all the more determined.

Ken served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Sydney, Australia. When getting ready to leave, his Dad asked if he was scared and Ken replied “I’m just very excited.” He served his mission with the same joyful passion and enthusiasm he displayed any time he was faced with a challenge. When he returned home he walked-on to the Weber State football team and became their starting corner.

Ken met his beautiful blue-eyed bride at a dance and with his signature enthusiasm asked her why the most beautiful girl in the room wasn’t dancing. She took his offered hand and he found her to be the woman of his dreams. Ken married Charlene Brothersen May 29th 1969 in the Salt Lake Temple. The two of them dreamed of having a big family. Ken wanted 11 kids, to make an entire football team, but they had 10, and he joked they were all boys, but eight. Nothing was too big for him to tackle and so he followed another dream to Mt. Pleasant Utah and bought a ranch, with very little understanding of how to make it work. Most people expected him to fail, but they didn’t know of his eternal optimism, shear grit and the power of his faith. He created a home and environment perfect for raising his best crop – children.

Ken lived a life of service. He served in church callings, in the community and spontaneously , often inviting family or even perfect strangers to the ranch to share his life, family and goodness. Once on the ranch, people became life-long friends – not being able to resist the clarion call of Ken’s love, enthusiasm or song. Ken would bring out the guitar and sing with gusto, but his songs were never designed to show-off, he would draw everyone in and teach them the harmonies and somehow with his help, all voices and personalities blended smoothly.

Although he suffered for 35 years with intense health challenges, he never cursed God, he never complained. He took whatever God gave him and bore it with faith. Physical pain was his cross to bear and he did so with trust, resilience, and an eternal optimism. Ken was cowboy to the core, he handled pain quietly, he rescued anyone and anything in danger, that saw what needed to be done and just did it. His cowboy sense of integrity and love of land was felt by all he knew. He loved his wife, his ranch and his horses with the same passion as everything else. He looked forward with perfect faith to the day he could run and ride again.

Ken is survived by his wife, Charlene Palmer and his children: Nathan (Katrina) Palmer, Heidi (Paul) Bouck, Matthew (Stacy) Palmer, Charity (Brian) Johns, Abigail (Spencer) Cox, Maggon (Travis) Osmond, Annalisa (Joe) Bailey, Hayley (Milo) Andrus, Lisle (Chad) Dewey, Brittany (Rustin) Walker, and 53 grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Monday September 26th at 12:00 p.m.., viewing from 10:30 am. to 11:30 am. An additional viewing on Sunday September 25th from 6-8. All in Mt Pleasant Stake Center (295 S. State St.) Interment in the Mt. Pleasant City Cemetery.