Ethel Palmer

Ethel Fern (Dunbar) Palmer, age 93, of Burwell, formerly Loup County, died Wednesday January 25, 2017 at the Valley County Hospital in Ord.   Funeral services will be held Monday January 30, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at Rhoad Funeral Home in Sargent with Reverend Alan Petersen officiating.  Burial will be in the Madison Square Cemetery west of Taylor, Ne.  Visitation will be Sunday January 29th 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. a Rhoad Funeral Home in Sargent.  Memorials may be made to the family for later designation or donor’s choice.    After graduation from Taylor High School and attending Chadron State College, she taught in various country schools in West Loup County until she married her husband, Kenneth Palmer, on May 21, 1947.  They began their life of 50 years together on the family farm south of Almeria.  To this union were born three daughters, Sandra, Marilee and Peggy.   Ethel often commented on how she liked living “back in the hills” raising their family.  Fun times for her were following their girls’ activities, the Almeria and Madison Square Community Clubs, card parties, quilting, reading, crossword and Sudoku puzzles.  She remained on the farm by herself for 12 more years after the death of her husband.  She moved to Burwell in 2009.   Ethel is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law; Sandra (Dennis) Paben of Kearney, Ne.  Marilee Palmer of Aurora, Ne., and Peggy (Steven) Petersen of Wolbach, Ne.  Grandchildren Tammy (Ken) Wolinski of Aurora, Ne., Todd (Carla) Paben of Fort Worth, Tx., and Troy (Megan) Paben of Juniata, Ne. 4 great grandchildren, Lexie, Tyson and Brayden Wolinski and Leighton Paben, plus many nieces and nephews.    Ethel was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth, her parents Elmer and Elva Dunbar, 4 brothers Earl, Mark, Arnold, and Allen Dunbar,  1 sister Wilma Brown and their spouses.