Philip Maynard Palmer

Philip Maynard Palmer, 91, a retired US Navy Captain died Wednesday November 6, 2024 at Clark at Keller Lake. A resident of Grand Rapids, Michigan, he was born in Lansing, Michigan, the son of Darrell Eugene Palmer and Lila Berniece Lavery Palmer. He graduated from Lansing Eastern High School. He then attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison where he earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering and in Naval Science and received his commission through the Navy ROTC in 1955. In 2006 he was named one of four in the inaugural class of University of Wisconsin/NROTC Distinguished Alumni. He attended the US Naval Postgraduate School and subsequently was awarded an MS degree from The Ohio State University in 1965 while in the Navy.

Captain Palmer served in the Navy during the Cold War and Vietnam War eras. During that one third of a century, the US Navy underwent great changes witnessed and participated in by him. He taught destroyer steam plant engineering to University of Michigan midshipmen in 1958 and then served as a nuclear power qualified officer on the USS ENTERPRISE 10 years later. As an ensign in 1957 he reported to a WWII destroyer escort with updated air surveillance capabilities but with outdated armament consisting of WWI vintage 3”/50 caliber Navy rifles and analog gunfire control equipment. Twenty years later he was the weapons system acquisition manager for the first ship of the AEGIS cruiser/destroyer surface warfare force armed with guided missiles supported by near real time digital displays of the battle space and sophisticated target detection and engagement systems.

Captain Palmer retired from the US Navy in 1984. Subsequently, he was a Vitro Corporation system engineer and consultant until retiring in 1997. He and his late wife Nancy returned to their home state of Michigan in 2006. In January 2021, Philip came to faith as a believer in Jesus Christ by the Grace of God. He was baptized at 88 years of age on June 13, 2021 in the Calvary Church of Grand Rapids, MI.He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Nancy Davis Nebel Palmer of Grand Rapids, originally of Munising, Michigan. He is survived by a son William Arthur Palmer, and William's two former wives Jennifer Wilson of Howard City and Anna Brookhouse Palmer of Grand Rapids; grandsons Brian Philip Palmer, Owen Steven Palmer and Quinn Edward Palmer, granddaughter Lucy Jo Palmer and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and great grandnephews. 

A memorial service will be held at 11am on Saturday November 23, 2024 at Calvary Church, 707 East Beltline Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 with visitation one hour prior to the service. A luncheon will be served following the service at the church from 12-2pm. 

Cremation has taken place. His cremated remains will be interred in the Spring of 2025 with military honors in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising, Michigan with those of his deceased wife Nancy. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Clark Retirement Foundation of Grand Rapids, Michigan https://clarkretirement.org/clark-foundation/giving-options/, The University of Wisconsin – Madison NROTC Alumni Scholarship Fund https://www.uwnrotcalumni.org/donate or Calvary Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan https://calvarygr.org/next-steps/giving/ .