Gerry Cox

Palmer

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IN LOVING MEMORY

Gerry Cox Palmer

Nov 18 1931 - Dec 19 2021

Gerry Cox Palmer passed away on December 19, 2021, after celebrating her 90th birthday in November. Gerry was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri graduating from Paseo High School and the Junior College of Kansas City.  She married her high school sweetheart, Jay Charles Palmer in 1951 and in 1954 they welcomed their daughter, Toni Palmer Jenkins into the world. Gerry embraced the value of volunteering early in life, working initially with the USO while Jay served in the Air Force. After the Korean War, Jay’s career with TWA allowed them to travel the world.

In 1977, they moved to Scottsdale, Arizona where Gerry cultivated her many artistic talents. She enjoyed painting, crafting, collecting southwest art and volunteering for the Phoenix Zoo. They made great friends at La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, in their neighborhood, and through Jay’s love of golf. Gerry loved entertaining and cooking, and it always brought her great joy to host family and friends in their home. 

Gerry and Jay moved to McKinney, Texas in 1993, to be closer to their daughter and granddaughter, Megan Allen Hanna. They were members of Preston Meadow Lutheran Church in Plano and made many new friends at church, among neighbors and through the El Dorado Country Club. In McKinney, Gerry developed a love for quilting and in 1999, she was recognized with the Bessie Heard Award for her support of the Heard Museum Volunteer Guild. Later, she also volunteered for the Heard Craig House in downtown McKinney. Megan cherishes the unconditional love she felt growing up with her grandparents nearby and she credits her grandmother for showing her the value of creativity and the arts. The family is most grateful that Gerry lived to see her new great-grandson who was born in April 2021. Over the last seven months, pictures of Rex could bring a smile to her face when few other things could.

Gerry is finally at peace after living several years in a world where her mind was taken by dementia.  She is survived by her daughter, Toni, and son-in-law, Lloyd “Skip” Jenkins; her granddaughter, Megan and husband, Rusty Hanna; great-grandson, Rex; Skip’s daughter, Alison Carson and sons, Matthew and Drew; Skip’s son, Andrew Jenkins and daughter, Lily; sister-in-law, Joyce Wyatt; and multiple nieces and nephews.

May she now be reunited with Jay; her mother, Valene Cox; and her grandmother, Dora Hambright, and may she regain the many wonderful memories that had been lost.

Donations may be made in her name to the Heard Museum in McKinney, Texas.

An inurnment will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at Ridgeview Mausoleum, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013.

Memorials

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