1922
Doris
2022
Doris E. (Rickbeil) Palmer
August 7, 1922 — February 8, 2022
Doris Palmer Obituary
Doris Elizabeth Palmer of Storrs, CT, passed away peacefully on February 8, 2022, at 99 years of age, far longer than she expected and far shorter than her family and friends would have preferred. Doris was born on a family farm outside Cavalier, North Dakota, on August 7, 1922 (“Just two years after women got the right to vote”) to Harold and Mathilda Rickbeil. She met and married her husband, Francis Palmer, October 10, 1942. Frank passed away almost exactly twenty years ago. This year would have been their 80th anniversary.
Together they raised a family of 5 boys, Lawrence (Samantha) of Tucson AZ, James formerly of Bowie MD, Thomas (Beverly) of Glendale Heights IL, David (W.C.) of Storrs CT, Jeffrey (Victoria) of Greenfield MA and, finally, a beautiful daughter, Anne of Vernon CT. Doris did not play favorites and treated all her children with equal amounts of love, encouragement, and pride in their accomplishments. As a result, six very different kids loved her (and each other) unconditionally, which made for the best holiday gatherings but also for the many broken hearts today.
Doris was the matriarch of the large clan of Rickbeils that stretches from coast to coast and north to south. One of her great joys in the past decade were the biennial family reunions that allowed her to help keep the family connections and history alive.
She was predeceased by her son, Jim, daughters-in-law Bev and Janet and five of her seven siblings. She is survived by her sisters, Maurine Joppe (Phoenix, AZ) and Lois Nielsen (Shell Lake, WI), nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren (with one more on the way). Although she out-lived most of her contemporaries, she continued to make new friends all her life, read two newspapers a day, and lived independently until the last weeks of her life.
Late in life Doris returned to administrative work at UConn in the Animal Sciences Department before retiring in 1989. She loved all things UConn, especially the women’s basketball team (from Field House days), the Jorgensen, the Benton Museum and the Summer Nutmeg Theater.
She would want us to acknowledge the caring staff at Windham Hospital and Mansfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation as well as the wonderful staff and residents of Juniper Hill Village, where she spent the last 19 years.
A humble person, Doris requested a simple obituary, but then no amount of words could really do justice to the enormity of her many contributions to making the world around her a better, kinder place. Doris sought out the beauty and goodness in all people and things and would want everyone to do the same. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in her name to Windham Area Interfaith Ministries (waimct.org), Ecole Agape (friendsofecoleagape.org), or any of the wonderful organizations mentioned above.
Calling Hours for family and friends will be at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. Willimantic on Friday, February 25th, from 4:00pm to 6:00 pm and a Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 46 N. Eagleville Rd. Storrs on Saturday, February 26th at 10:00am.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Doris E. (Rickbeil) Palmer, please visit our floral store.
Read More
Doris Elizabeth Palmer of Storrs, CT, passed away peacefully on February 8, 2022, at 99 years of age, far longer than she expected and far shorter than her family and friends would have preferred. Doris was born on a family farm outside Cavalier, North Dakota, on August 7, 1922 (“Just two years after women got the right to vote”) to Harold and Mathilda Rickbeil. She met and married her husband, Francis Palmer, October 10, 1942. Frank passed away almost exactly twenty years ago. This year would have been their 80th anniversary.
Together they raised a family of 5 boys, Lawrence (Samantha) of Tucson AZ, James formerly of Bowie MD, Thomas (Beverly) of Glendale Heights IL, David (W.C.) of Storrs CT, Jeffrey (Victoria) of Greenfield MA and, finally, a beautiful daughter, Anne of Vernon CT. Doris did not play favorites and treated all her children with equal amounts of love, encouragement, and pride in their accomplishments. As a result, six very different kids loved her (and each other) unconditionally, which made for the best holiday gatherings but also for the many broken hearts today.
Doris was the matriarch of the large clan of Rickbeils that stretches from coast to coast and north to south. One of her great joys in the past decade were the biennial family reunions that allowed her to help keep the family connections and history alive.
She was predeceased by her son, Jim, daughters-in-law Bev and Janet and five of her seven siblings. She is survived by her sisters, Maurine Joppe (Phoenix, AZ) and Lois Nielsen (Shell Lake, WI), nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren (with one more on the way). Although she out-lived most of her contemporaries, she continued to make new friends all her life, read two newspapers a day, and lived independently until the last weeks of her life.
Late in life Doris returned to administrative work at UConn in the Animal Sciences Department before retiring in 1989. She loved all things UConn, especially the women’s basketball team (from Field House days), the Jorgensen, the Benton Museum and the Summer Nutmeg Theater.
She would want us to acknowledge the caring staff at Windham Hospital and Mansfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation as well as the wonderful staff and residents of Juniper Hill Village, where she spent the last 19 years.
A humble person, Doris requested a simple obituary, but then no amount of words could really do justice to the enormity of her many contributions to making the world around her a better, kinder place. Doris sought out the beauty and goodness in all people and things and would want everyone to do the same. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in her name to Windham Area Interfaith Ministries (waimct.org), Ecole Agape (friendsofecoleagape.org), or any of the wonderful organizations mentioned above.
Calling Hours for family and friends will be at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. Willimantic on Friday, February 25th, from 4:00pm to 6:00 pm and a Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 46 N. Eagleville Rd. Storrs on Saturday, February 26th at 10:00am.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Doris E. (Rickbeil) Palmer, please visit our floral store.
Read More
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Doris E. (Rickbeil) Palmer, please visit our flower store.
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