Peggy June Palmer
Peggy June Palmer, age 95, passed away on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at Jefferson Gardens in Clinton, Missouri.
Peggy June Palmer was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 3, 1930, to Jesse Earl Taylor and Hazel (Stembel) Taylor. She graduated from East High School as co-valedictorian in 1947. She continued her education at Central Missouri State College (now UCM) and graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science in Education in Mathematics. She was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and Kappa Mu Epsilon, honorary mathematics fraternity.
Peggy June taught Mathematics and Social Studies at Raymore High School where she met the love of her life, Charles Palmer, also a teacher. They were married on August 24, 1952, and were happily married for over 58 years until his death on March 20, 2011. In 1952 she started working as an Actuarial clerk at Business Men’s Assurance, leaving there when their son Jesse Charles (J.C.) was born on August 24, 1955. Peggy June was a stay-at-home mother until J.C.’s sudden death on November 10, 1961. She returned to BMA in 1962 and retired in 1983 as Senior Systems Analyst and Computer Programmer. Charlie retired from Hallmark Cards in 1983 after 25 years and they moved to a farm near Clinton, Missouri where they lived until his death. Several nieces and nephews were a large part of their lives.
Peggy June had always been a big sports fan, especially baseball. She and her dad attended many games in the 3-2 and Ban Johnson Leagues in Kansas City, where they served as scorekeepers and where many of her classmates played. She and Charlie had Chiefs season tickets for 7 years and switched to the Royals in 1979, thus enjoying the World Series in 1980 and 1985. After giving up tickets in 1995, they switched to following college sports at CMSU (now UCM), mostly baseball and basketball. She continued after Charlie’s death, attending with nephews and adding a little football and volleyball as long as she was able. She also supported UCM sports financially, endowing a scholarship for baseball players and Actuarial Mathematics students.
Peggy June is survived by 2 cousins in addition to 2 nieces, 6 nephews and many great nieces and nephews, great great nieces and nephews and one great great great nephew.
Funeral services were held April 14, 2026 at the Vansant-Mills Funeral Home in Clinton, Missouri with David Mills officiating. The casket bearers were Troy Hendrick, Chad Hendrick, Josh Strouse, Seth Strouse, Randy Tribble and Ronnie Tribble. Graveside services followed in Memorial Park Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.
Services were under the direction of Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton, MO.
