Joshua J. Palmer, 31, of Waterville, IA, died Saturday, November 28, 2009, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, IA. Memorial services will be held Friday, December 4th, at 10:30 AM at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church in rural Waterville, with Pastor Ken Kimball officiating. Friends may call from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM Thursday at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established.
Joshua James Palmer was born on June 7, 1978 in Waukon, IA, the son of Kenneth and Donna (Roldson) Palmer. He grew up in the Waterville/Harpers Ferry area and was baptized and confirmed at Old East Paint Creek Lutheran Church. Josh attended Waterville Elementary School and received his GED through Waukon High School. He was currently attending NICC in Calmar, IA, taking courses to be a commercial and residential electrician. The past several years he has worked as a welder and fabricator as well as a carpenter and mason for various area construction firms.
An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed spending time fishing, camping, and 4-wheeling. He was also a talented artist and liked to draw. Josh loved kids and some of his favorite times were spent with them playing games or cards or doing other activities.
Survivors include his parents, Kenneth and Donna Palmer of Harpers Ferry, IA; his sons Clayton and Landon; a sister, Jessie (Steven) Sweeney and their son Raymond, and a brother, Levi (Jessica) Palmer and their children Dawson, Corbyn, and Holten, all of Waukon; his significant other, LeAnn Homewood and her children Gary and Ashton of Waterville; his paternal grandfather, Neal Palmer and maternal grandmother, Judy Roldson, both of Waukon; and aunts and uncles, Debra Harmening of Winona, MN, Terri (Wilbur Kollmann) Palmer and David D. (Betty) Palmer, both of Harpers Ferry, Kathy (Paul) Benda of Waukon, Sandy Jones of Lansing, IA, Cindy (Tom) Duvel, Rita (John) Erickson, and John (Dorothy) Roldson, all of Waukon, and Barbara (Scott) Melcher of Harpers Ferry. He is preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Conrad Roldson; his paternal grandmother, Shirley Palmer; and an uncle, Orrin Roldson.
Honorary pallbearers are Clayton Palmer, Levi and Jessica Palmer, Dawson, Corbyn, & Holten, Jessie and Steven Sweeney and Raymond; and LeAnn Homewood, Gary & Ashton.