11/07/2025
Dorothy Ellen Palmer, 86, of Canyon City, died on November 2, 2025 at the home of her Granddaughter, Amanda Wright. A graveside funeral service will be held on Friday, November 7, 2025~11am at Canyon City Cemetery. A reception will be held at the John Day Senior Center immediately following the service.
Dorothy Palmer was born on December 18, 1938, at the Old Condon Hotel in Condon, Oregon, in room 4. The hotel belonged to her Grand Parents, Charley and Cora Wallace. Beings there was no doctor in Condon at the time, Dorothy was delivered by the local Veterinarian, Dr. Gaunt.
Dorothy was born to Ga***rd Eugene Ingrum and Dorthea Nadine Wallace Wilson. Dorothy moved quite often as her mother and step-father, Roy Wilson, moved regularly. Dorothy lived in Condon, The Dalles, Rowena, Heppner, Dayville, Spray and John Day as her parents managed or leased many café’s or restaurants.
Dorothy dropped out of school during the 10th grade. She spoke of her time in Spray and was a cheer leader. Dorothy spoke often about her childhood and one of her dislikes was seeing other kids being picked on. She said that if she saw that behavior, the bullies would get a sock in the nose. Later in life, Dorothy obtained her GED without even studying, well after her son, Sam, graduated high school.
Dorothy met Frank Palmer in John Day in a local Café where Dorothy was eating a meal and Frank sat down with her and took over the plate. They later married in May of 1961. Dorothy brought into this union, three children of two previous marriages. They later had two more sons. These children were raised in John Day, across the street from the swimming pool in the Palmer Family home. In her earlier years of living on 2nd Street, she met her life-long friend, Liz Moles, who lived across the street.
Dorothy was a public servant and a compassionate giver. She was one of the first EMT’s when the ambulance service began in Grant County under Lorene Allen and Isobelle Phillips. Dorothy was active in the John Day Fire Department as a spouse of a volunteer Fireman and later joined the department. Dorothy also belonged to the bowling league at Nugget Lanes, Murderer’s Creek Marauders, Eight Ball Pool League, Prospector Booster Club and later was hired by the City of John Day as a Dispatcher prior to the implementation of 911. Dorothy retired as Dispatch Manager after a little over 20 years of service. One story Dorothy spoke of was shortly after the implementation of 911, her step-father, Roy Wilson, dialed 911 and when Dorothy answered the call, he asked, “Is Dorothy there”?
Dorothy loved doing things with her hands. She was a self-taught pianist and loved to sing as well as listening to country western music and the Oldies. She was an artist and loved to doodle, draw and paint with oils and acrylics as well as water colors and pastels. Dorothy was often called upon to help with colorful art work on the many years of putting together floats for the Grant County Fair and the 62 Days parades. Dorothy was very proud of her art work that garnered blue and premium ribbons in the parades and during the County Fair. Dorothy attended painting sessions with Patricia Baher-Ross for many years and made a gob of life time friends.
During the time Dorothy was a Dispatcher, she often volunteered her time as a Reserve Patrolman for John Day. She also served as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff and help with transports as a Matron. She later put in time as a part-time Civil Deputy at the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.
Dorothy also loved to sew and make clothing for her children, often times crocheting and knitting.
She spent countless hours studying and researching her family Genealogy where her lineage was traced back to William Wallace of Scotland.
In her spare time of raising 5 boys, Dorothy often followed Frank into the mountains and on jobs that Frank was working on. This led to many camping, rock hounding, fishing, hunting upland game birds and water fowl as well as deer, elk and antelope excursions with the five boys in tow. Dorothy was a good shot with her .243 rifle and took many animals.
Dorothy bragged of one fishing trip where Frank tried to get her to help him clean fish. Dorothy butchered the first one on purpose where Frank told her to never mind, he’d take care of it. On another occasion after the boys cleaned birds on the kitchen floor, one of the gizzards that Dorothy cooked made it into the frying pan without being cleaned and onto Frank’s plate and into his mouth.
Both Frank and Dorothy supported all of their children in many ways and welcomed many of their children’s childhood friends into their home as if they were one of their own. They also raised their Granddaughter Amanda Wright, who cared for Dorothy until her passing.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband of 35 years, mother, father and step-father, Roy Wilson. She is also preceded in death by an infant brother, Arley Duval, a half-brother Derry Wilson, a half-sister, Charlene Raybun and a son, Bob Herrera.
Dorothy is survived by a half-sister, Joy Walmsley (Lee) of Tri-Cities, Wa., her sons and their spouses, Frank Herrera (Kellie) of Albany, Oregon, Roy Goldman (Karen) of Hump Tulips, Arkansas, Glenn Palmer (RoseAnn) of John Day, Oregon and Sam Palmer (Yao) of Canyon City, Oregon.
Dorothy is also survived by 18 Grand Children and 29 Great Grand Children.
Online condolences can be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com
