Ronald Charles Palmer, age 82, resident of Fort Scott, KS passed away Thursday, November 20, 2025, at his home. He was born November 23, 1942, in Fort Scott, Kansas, at Burke Street Mercy Hospital. He was the son of Dorothy (Elbrader) Palmer and Charles Palmer. He attended Fort Scott public schools and graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1960. He graduated from Fort Scott Junior College in 1962.
Ron was known as a hard worker and had quite a variety of jobs throughout his life. He worked as a “curb hop” at the Dairy Mug until 1958. He then drove a delivery truck for Brown’s Grocery and Meat Market until it closed in 1959. He was in the production departments of newspaper businesses for 17 years – starting in 1960 with the Fort Scott Tribune through 1964, then with the Leavenworth Times until 1968, then back with the Fort Scott Tribune until 1969, then for the Morning Sun in Pittsburg, Kansas, until 1977. He also drove a Mail delivery route to Wichita, Kansas during part of these years. He then spent 15 years working for Fort Cablevision as the Chief Technician until 1991. During the 1987 flood, he worked from a boat restoring service to customers in Fort Scott. He also designed cable systems for other communities and worked as Chief Engineer for the local radio station. When there was a job to be done, Ron was determined to complete a job well and on time.
He became a Master Electrician and started his own family corporation including businesses operating as the Fort Scott Ice Company, Suds-Yer-Duds Laundromat, Palmer Brothers Service Company, and the R&S cattle farm until his retirement in 2001. He was also a part-owner of the Fort Scott Lumber Company and served as President there for many years.
Ron was a member of the First Baptist Church in Fort Scott, was baptized there, and served several roles there including Deacon and Trustee. He was also a member of the Memphis Lodge in Garland, Kansas. He supported local 4-H clubs as an electricity leader, enjoyed quail hunting, boating, building and improving machinery, being a Corvette owner, and a NASCAR racing fan, but he especially loved the farm and being with family.
Ron married Shirley (Hoggatt) Palmer on June 2, 1963, and they had nearly 60 years together. They had 2 sons, Brian and wife Carla of Olathe, Kansas, and Gary and wife Kylene, of Fort Scott. He had 6 grandchildren including John and wife Katelyn of Lenexa, Kansas, Elizabeth and husband Elijah Vandepol of Spring Hill, Kansas, and Sadie Marchiano of Fort Scott, Lexi and husband Cody Wilson of Fort Scott, Riley Marchiano and Jentry Palmer of Fort Scott, and 4 great-grandchildren: Noah Palmer, Emma Palmer, Brooks Vandepol, and Braden Vandepol.
Ron was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Shirley, and his sister Nancy Ransom. He is survived by his sister Betty Kay Clary of Fort Scott and his brother Robert and wife Vanessa Palmer of Garnett, Kansas.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, November 25th at the First Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the Clarksburg Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM until service time at the Church. Memorials are suggested to either the First Baptist Church or the Ronald and Shirley Palmer FSCC Scholarship Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.