He went to work for Colorado Carbonic CO. in 1954. He started working in the plant sacking dry ice and taking care of things around the plant. He then started driving truck and drove over 6 million miles accident free in his 60 plus years of trucking. In 1995 he received driver of the year for private tank carrier association for BOC. He took a lot of pride in his job as a trucker and was very strong on safety. In 2001 he was inducted into the National Truck Drivers Hall of Fame for driving 5.5 million miles accident free. Trucking was his life. In 2018 he had to quit driving for medical reasons.
John married Myrna Baer and to this marriage they had 5 children. John W. Palmer, Debbera J. Wallace, Charles W. Palmer, John C. Palmer Jr. II and Kimberly J. Palmer. They were later divorced and he married Patrica Jean Magee and they had 3 children John C. Palmer Jr., Josephine Cassandra Palmer and Jeffery Allen Palmer.
John had a lot of friends through the years. He was very close to his cousin Richard Coppenger and Ed Greenlee. They spent a lot of time together. He was known as Grandpa to everyone, and was fond of the saying “come back when you can stay longer”.
He was raised by Roy and Cecil Palmer along with another foster brother Douglas Palmer. Roy was a truck driver and was very good to him through his young life.
His Grandfather Dick Pierce and his Uncle Junior Pierce played a big part in his life.
He is survived by his wife Patrica J. Palmer, his ex-wife Myrna L. Palmer, his children John W. Palmer (Judy) of Pocatello, Idaho, Debbera J. Wallace (Rudi) of Folsom, New Mexico, Charles W. Palmer(Ruby) of Cheyenne, Wyoming, John C. Palmer Jr. II(Shanda) of Cortez, Colorado, Kimberly J. Palmer of Hoehne, Colorado, John C. Palmer Jr.(Michelle) of Cortez, Colorado, J. Cassandra Palmer(Wayne) of Albuquerque, New Mexico. His Grandkids; JR Palmer, Kimberly Palmer, Beau Gordanier, Jake Gordanier, Wesley Palmer, Jasper Palmer, Colleen Teig, Charmayne Holiday, Ciera Palmer, Jessica Corsentino, Justin Painter, Jerrod Painter, Emily Palmer, Danielle Smith, Bradley Palmer, Caleb Palmer, Candice Palmer, Tatianna Higgins, Arianna Higgins, Heather Stowe and Steven Quarrels. Also survived by numerous great and great-great grandchildren. His sisters Gloria Wagstaff of Richmond, Virginia, Cindy Weaver of Santea, California, Willidean Conwell of Peoria, Arizona and Vicky Yoder of Pahrump, Nevada.
He was preceded in death by his mother Alta Abby, foster father Roy Palmer, foster mother Cecil Palmer, brother Douglas Palmer, sister Charleen Shipman, son Jeffery Allen Palmer and Grandson Tony John Montgomery.
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