Marilyn "Lyn" Palmer

Marilyn “Lyn” Palmer was born in Omaha, NE, on March 23, 1936, to her doting parents, Charlie and Kathaleen Lonergan. She grew up in Kansas City and often reminisced about her blissful childhood and deep admiration for her older sister, Patty.

Her early claim to fame came when she was featured in the local paper for teaching her fox terrier, Dixie, how to ride a bike. Lyn often recalled the moment she informed her mom she liked dogs more than people—a remarkable admission, given she never met a stranger.

A proud Irishwoman, Lyn spent years declaring she was 100% Irish, only to be more than a bit dismayed when her Ancestry.com results came back at 87%. This new fact gave everyone a good giggle—except her.

Lyn earned an academic scholarship to St. Teresa’s Academy, where she flourished. She often said, “Girls got to be everything,” and her life reflected it. It was no surprise that she served as class president and later helped organize reunions with her 1953 classmates for decades to follow. She went on to graduate from Avila University with a degree in nursing.

In 1960, Lyn grabbed her best friend and embarked on a grand adventure to San Francisco. They lived, worked (and dated) in the Golden City for three years. Her stories from that time made it clear—they were living their best lives.

Upon returning to Kansas City, Lyn worked in three of the city’s leading hospitals. She loved retelling the story of a tense debate with an attending doctor who finally conceded to her point by asking, “Do you win all your arguments?”

Lyn was a passionate advocate for equal rights—from pushing for better conditions in segregated hospitals to celebrating when the Supreme Court affirmed love is love. She often said she was the product of an excellent education and volunteered tirelessly with her local P.E.O. chapter, which supports the education of women. She held many roles there, including President.

Although Lyn enjoyed her career immensely, as a single mom she spent many years working two or more jobs—as a school nurse and picking up extra hospital shifts on weekends and holidays. When she met the love of her life, Robert Palmer, he proposed with one condition: she must retire. She burst out laughing—and quickly said yes. They were married in 1998.

Bob and Lyn enjoyed many memorable travels and dinner parties together. Little did Bob know that Lyn’s retirement would be just as full. She threw herself into volunteering and finally wrote her book, When There Is More On Your Plate Than Dinner. It encouraged self-care and thoughtful meal planning, well before it was trending.

As the adoring mother of two ornery boys, Mike and Tom Greene, one of Lyn’s proudest mom moments came when they married the “daughters she never had”—Samantha and Missy. Her family grew again when she married Bob, embracing Bruce Palmer and Leslie Duncan, Bob’s children with his late wife, Maxine.

Lyn held many titles in her life, but perhaps none brought her more joy than “Grammy.” She would spend an hour with the local bookstore clerk selecting the perfect books for their ages. Each summer, she would host Grammy Fridays, which always included games in the basement followed by cookies in the kitchen. She cheered them on from their sporty sidelines and in life. She loved her grandchildren beyond measure.

In the end, her bright mind filled with glorious memories was diagnosed with dementia. Bob became her devoted caregiver, often sitting by her side, tenderly retelling her stories—a profound act of loyalty and love.

Lyn’s Catholic faith was her lifelong compass. Surrounded by prayer and peace, she passed on July 10, 2025, just moments after a deacon from Church of the Ascension offered her final blessing.

She is survived by her cherished husband, Robert Palmer; her devoted sons, Michael (Samantha) Greene, Tom (Missy) Greene, and Bruce (Candice) Palmer; her precious grandchildren: Katie, Addison, and Harrison Greene; Sam (Becky) Palmer; and Sara (Dustin) Dam; her darling great-grandchildren, Mason and Sawyer Dam, Izzy, Brooklyn, Maddie, and Maverick Palmer; and her well-loved East Coast Kuchem family. We would be remiss not to mention her prized grand dogs: Shadow, Lola, Hadley, and Moose (the Goose).

Our hearts are a little more at peace knowing that Patty, Leslie, and her beloved grandson Gavin Greene were there to welcome her into her next, incredibly beautiful adventure.

In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization):

https://www.peointernational.org/make-a-gift/#donate

or The Gavin Greene Foundation:

https://gkccf.kimbia.com/gree35

A visitation will be held at Church of the Ascension at 9:00 a.m. on July 22, 2025 followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. A private family burial will take place afterward.