Anthony "Tony" Palmer

Anthony Allen Palmer “Tony” was born on July 24, 1941 in Pryor, Oklahoma to George Sie and Lexie Mae (Hopper) Palmer. He passed away January 2, 2022 at their home in Pryor, Oklahoma at age 80. He grew up in the Greenbrier community and attended elementary school at Greenbrier. He graduated high school from Strang in 1959. He married Donna Dinsmore on Valentine’s Day in 1996 in Palmer, Alaska. He served in the United States Army National Guard for several years. Tony and his six brothers, several cousins, and friends had their own softball teams. “Palmer’s” and “Palmer’s Gulf“ which was sponsored by his brother Verl Dale. I’m not sure which they won more of… fights… or ball games. He played for Jim Phillips Ford softball team with his brothers Eddie, Freddie, Orville, and Bobby.  His brother Bobby was also the coach. He also played basketball in high school for the Strang Savages. He lived in several different locations throughout his life, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, and Alaska. Three of his children were born in Alaska, but all five spent time up there during their lives.  He LOVED to hunt while he was in Alaska. He brought back several hides with him: black bear, brown bear, and Kodiak bear. He hunted there with his brother Verl Dale a lot.  He had many hobbies and businesses throughout his life. He owned a glass company in Fairbanks, Alaska called “AA Glass,” after he came back to Oklahoma, he worked with his brother, Freddie, in Tulsa for a glass company called Clint Watts Glass. He owned a business in Pryor called “Packaging Solutions,” he had an antique store, Tanks Doors, and worked with his brother Eddie at Palmer Glass. His most recent hobbies were his grandchildren. He loved his children and grandchildren so much and was so proud of them. He was the owner, driver, and tuner of his own race car, #3, which he raced at Salina Highbanks Speedway. His daughter Kala was the professional mud scraper. He raced alongside many friends and competitors there. He loved going to the annual Palmer Family Reunion and never missed one in 30 years! Tony loved his family so much! If you know the Palmer’s, you know they bleed Crimson and Cream. Growing up they all attended many OU games as a family. Tony went by many names: son, brother, Dad, Poppa, friend to many, and we won’t mention the rest. Haha. There is so many things to love about Tony, there’s not near enough room here. His laugh, his love, his smile, his kindness, his generosity. There isn’t a person out there he wouldn’t help if he knew they needed it. He told the best bear stories you’d ever hear. They were terrifying to some, because they were true… but man.. were they the best! Tony was always mowing the lawn and he also loved to watch westerns, OU football, Nascar, CNN, and most recently cartoons with his grandson. He was the best Dad and Poppa, ever. He was a son of God and he loved his family so much. He loved to drive in the car with his country music turned up. He would often hop in the car with his grandson Aiden and go to town to get Aiden an ice cream and him a Mountain Dew. He sure loved his Mountain Dew.

Tony is survived by his wife, Donna Palmer of the home in Pryor, Oklahoma and his five children: Michele Palmer of Pryor, OK, Nicole Palmer of Willis, Texas, Anthony Palmer II and wife Adrina of Pryor, OK, Marcus Palmer and fiancé Courtney Kazy of Bixby, OK, and Kala Palmer of Pryor, OK. He had four grandchildren, Kaja Palmer, Trinity Watson, Grayson Allen Palmer, and Aiden Allen Palmer. He had two great grandchildren, Ezra and Alice Lindsey. Brothers and sisters: Patsy and Jerry Griffith of Strang, OK, Carolyn and Tom Baker of Tulsa, OK, Freddie Palmer of Pryor, OK, Eddie Palmer of Pryor, OK, and Dink and Cathy Palmer of Adair, OK, his Aunt Ola Reid of Phoenix, Arizona. He was preceded in death by his parents George and Lexie Palmer, brother Billy George Palmer, sisters Marjorie Kinion and Norma Caldwell, and brothers Verl Dale Palmer, Orville Palmer, and Bobby Palmer.