Gary Lee Palmer

  Gary Lee Palmer, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, Navy Veteran, businessman, neighbor and friend, passed away on September 9, 2026, at the age of 85. 

  Gary was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Vernon Claude Palmer and Margaret Lorraine Bledsoe Palmer, and grew up in the small town of Burns, Wyoming, surrounded by family, cousins and lifelong friends. As a young boy, he watched his father leave by train to serve in Germany as a Tank Destroyer during World War II. Those early experiences helped shape Gary’s lifelong sense of duty, loyalty and service. Thirteen years after Gary’s birth, his younger brother, Gregory, joined the family. 

  Gary graduated from Burns High School in a class of ten, earned his degree from the University of Wyoming and later accepted a fellowship at George Washington University in Washington D.C. While there, he worked security at the United States Capitol and was assigned to guard then—Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson during the period surrounding President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Family lore recalls that Gary was issued a gun but no bullets until he qualified to use it. 

  After graduate school, Gary completed Naval Officer Training and served as a United States Navy officer. During the Vietnam War, he was a Supply Officer aboard the USS Washtenaw County, an LST operating in the Mekong Delta. While LST stood for “Landing Ship Tank,” Gary preferred “Large Slow Target.” His final Navy assignment was at the Naval Supply Center in Charleston, South Carolina, where he met Elaine. 

  Gary and Elaine were married on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1969. Their nearly 58-year marriage took them across the country and around the world. After his military service, Gary worked with Gulf Oil and Coca-Cola, eventually becoming a Sales Manager in Bellevue, Washington. Their son, Joel, was born in 1973, followed two years later by their daughter, Jessica, in 1975.

 Gary was a devoted and memorable father. He woke Joel and Jessica by singing loudly from their bedroom doorways:

 “Good morning to you, good morning to you! We’re all in our places with sunshiny faces! Ohhhh, this is the way to start a new day!!!”

 He also had an unmistakable gift for conversation and humor. Gary never seemed to meet a stranger. Once, seeing a young man with a fashionable long “tail” haircut, Gary told him, completely straight-faced, that his barber had missed a spot. Jessica was mortified; the young man laughed. That was Gary—outgoing, funny, curious about people and a friend to all.

 Gary’s career with Coca-Cola took the family to Toledo, Ohio, and back to the Pacific Northwest. He loved sharing sports with his family, taking them to Seahawks, Super Sonics and Mariners games, as well as Seattle Seafair. After moving to Colorado, he became a Denver Broncos fan and enjoyed March Madness basketball. He was also an avid runner and passed the love on to Joel and Jessica, who became runners themselves—a part of their dad they carry with them every mile.

 Gary enjoyed golf and traveled with Elaine to China after his sales accomplishments earned them an extraordinary trip. Their journey included Hong Kong, Beijing and the Great Wall. At home, Gary filled family life with camping, neighborhood adventures and laughter. He taught neighborhood children to ride bikes, helped build a go-cart with their neighbor Dino and welcomed a puppy found beneath a babysitter’s car. That puppy became the family dog, Pepper.

 In 1987, Gary and Elaine moved to Greenwood Village, Colorado, where they found the home that remained theirs for 39 years. Gary worked for 7Up Bottling Company and Brother’s Coffee before realizing his dream of owning his own business in 1999. He built a company that allowed him to work from home and serve businesses throughout the Colorado mountains.

 Gary remained connected to his Wyoming roots, making many Sunday trips with his family to Burns to visit Grandpa and Grandma Palmer. Faith and service were also central to his life with Elaine. They joined Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church, where both served as Deacons for three terms. Gary also served for several years as an usher.

 Though Gary traveled far from Burns—from Washington D.C., to Vietnam, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, Ohio, Colorado and China—the center of his life was always home and family. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather; a veteran, businessman, man of faith and lifelong Wyoming boy. Most of all, he was someone who could talk to anybody. A stranger rarely stayed a stranger for long.

 Gary is survived by his wife, Elaine; his children, Joel (Erin) Palmer and Jessica Bye (George) and his bonus daughter, Janet Vierling; his grandchildren, Jace Palmer, Julianne Palmer, Dustin Letts (Tawny), Alyssa Letts, and Janae Letts (Dylan); and his great-grandchildren, Anastasia, Evangeline and Kassandra Letts. He is also survived by his brother, Gregory Palmer (Debbie) of Allentown, Pennsylvania; his nephew, Christopher Palmer (Katherine); great-nephew Alasdair; and Elaine’s extended family, including seven nieces and nephews.

 Gary lived a life of service, adventure, hard work, faith, laughter and family. His loved ones will always remember his voice singing: He was deeply loved, and he will be deeply missed.

 In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church in Greenwood Village, Colorado, in honor of Gary and his many years of faithful service.