Duane Palmer

Friday, January 31, 2014

Duane Harlen Palmer, 80, of Mountain Home, passed away on Monday, Jan. 27, 2014, at the Boise VA Medical Center.

A viewing will be held from 4-6 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 6, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel. A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m., on Friday, Feb. 7, at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church and burial with military honors will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.

Duane "Harley," was born June 1, 1933, in Cresbard, S.D., the son of Horace and Julia Palmer.

He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Black Hills State College.

He proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Marine Corps Band.

Duane married Constance "Connie" Foy, on Feb. 8, 1964. They were happily married for 36 years.

He taught music and was the band director in White River, S.D., from 1965-1967, Batesland, S.D., from 1967 to 1969 and Cresbard School District from 1969 to 1972.

Duane and Connie moved to Mountain Home and together they owned Palmer Music for over 20 years.

Duane also was the band director and music coordinator for the Mountain Home School District from 1972-1988, and a para-educator from 2001-2014.

Duane was an avid music lover and loved teaching music. He never missed an opportunity to listen to his son, Shaun, play guitar with local bands.

His greatest joy in life was his wife, Connie, his children, grandchildren and his family in South Dakota.

His hobbies included camping, fishing, traveling and, believe it or not, he embraced and used modern technology. He loved his iPad and the internet.

He had an insatiable appetite for learning new things and he passed that on to his students. Kathy Sheffield, a student of Duane's, stated, "A great man he was, not only did he inspire us with the music he taught, but he inspired all of us to be the best we could be. Kind, funny and always willing to help others. He continued to teach even after retirement and was an advocate to the children of the Mountain Home School District and played a mean hacky sac. Mr. Palmer you will be dearly missed. Keep the music going...."

Duane is survived by his daughter, Dawn, and her husband, David Hughes, of Puyallup, Wash., his son, Shaun Palmer, of Boise, his daughter, Catherine Couey, of Portland, Ore., his brother, Steve, and his wife, Debbie Palmer, and his grandchildren, Nikkole Hughes, Joshua Hughes, Jacob Hughes, Samuel Hughes and Isabel Palmer.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Constance, his son, Michael Palmer, his parents, Horace and Julia Palmer, his brother, Marvin Palmer, and sister Carol Schmidt.

Memorial donations in lieu of flowers, can be made to the American Cancer Society: Relay For Life of Elmore, County.