July 7, 2015
MARSHALL, Texas (7/07/15) - Retired East Texas Baptist University Professor James (Jim) Melvin Palmer, Sr., 88, passed away Saturday, July 4, 2015, in Athens. For 26 years, he served as a Professor of Behavioral Sciences at ETBU. Memorial services for Dr. Palmer will be at First Baptist Church of Marshall on Wednesday, July 8, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. with Dr. Wallace Watkins officiating. Burial will be in Algoma South Cemetery.
"Dr. Palmer was a great man, a wonderful Christian, and a visionary leader. He has had tremendous influence in many, many lives, and his work through the 70's, 80's, and into the 90's did so much to make ETBU what it is today," said Dr. Lynn New, ETBU Dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences. "His legacy will live forever in the hearts and lives of those who were blessed to know him as teacher, pastor, colleague, and friend."
Dr. Palmer was born on September 27, 1926 in Macon, Georgia to Ida Kate Grant and John Everett Palmer.
He graduated from Lanier High School in Macon, Georgia, Coyne Electrical School in Chicago, Illinois, Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and Mississippi State University where he earned a PhD in Sociology. He married Janet Schmalgemeier in Chicago on August 7, 1948. James was an ordained Baptist minister and pastored several churches in Iowa, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas and served as Director of Missions for several Baptist Associations in Alabama and Ohio. He served in Northwest Ohio from 1959-1964, under the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, and from 1995-1996 served on Corn Island, Nicaragua under the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. He taught at East Texas Baptist University from 1972-1998 as a full Professor and Chairman of the Department of Behavioral Sciences. During that time, he served as interim-pastor or supply pastor for churches in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
Dr. Palmer was a member of First Baptist Church in Marshall, and later First Baptist Church in Athens. He was active in the Marshall Lions Club and directed Lion's Loonies for several years. He was instrumental in establishing Habitat for Humanity in Marshall and served for years as a key volunteer.
In 1977, he was rewarded the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award for Excellence as an Educator and in 1980 as a Danforth Foundation Associate. He was a member of Pi Gamma Mu, Phi Alpha Theta and Alpha Kappa Alpha fraternities for history and science.
Survivors are his wife of sixty-six years, Janet Palmer of Athens; his children Janet and George Ward of Dallas, James, Jr and Viola of Athens, Jeffrey and Cheryl of Tyler, and Joel and Brenda of Mesquite; 11 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, brothers, Richard, Alfred, George, and Thomas, and sister Kate Turner.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, two sisters, son John, and daughter Joyce.
Memorials may be made in his name to: Palmer Ministries designated for Indigenous Pastoral Training in Nicaragua and Ethiopia (1908 Chapman, Mesquite Tx 75149).
(Obituary from Downs Funeral Home, Marshall, Texas)