Obituary of Eugene F. Palmer

Eugene Frederick Palmer, of Horseheads, New York, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 14, 2025, at the age of 96. Gene, as he was known, was born on June 30, 1928, in Camden, NY. He is a graduate of SUNY Cortland, where he earned a degree in physical education and met the love of his life, Jane Finley Palmer. They wed on June 27, 1953, had five children, and lived on a farm in Millport. They were happily married until her death in 2022. He named the farm "The Palmerosa," a testament to his family pride, which he instilled in each of his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his sister Patricia Campbell, his daughter Cindy (Paul) Santo, and his four sons, Gene (Kim) Palmer, Dan (Mari) Palmer, Tim Palmer, and Todd (Debby) Palmer. He is also survived by his seven grandchildren, Josh (Brittnee) Palmer, Mickenzie (Alyssa) Palmer, Kyle Palmer, Nathan (Allison) Palmer, Brooke (Courtney) Palmer, Cassie (Michael) Santo, and Alysia (Alex) Schilling, as well as his nine great-grandchildren, Bryce, Paytyn, Claire, Eliza, Jack, Westley, Josephine, Lucille, and Jane. He was predeceased by his wife Jane, his brother and best friend Lon Palmer, and his daughter in law Lisa Palmer. From a young age, Gene was determined to get an education. He joined the Marines at 18 and then attended university on the G.I. Bill, becoming the first in his family to earn a college degree. He began his career as a physical education teacher, then transitioned into driver's education. He was also the director of adult education at Horseheads High School. He coached boy's tennis, but became well known for his success as a wrestling coach, growing the Horseheads wrestling team from relative obscurity to a regional powerhouse. His teams personified the preparation, grit, and perseverance that Gene was always known for. He was later inducted into the NYS Section IV Wrestling Officials' Hall of Fame. Gene also had endless interests and skills. He played banjo and bass fiddle, sailed, gardened, taught ballroom dance, played cards, and played tennis and golf; he kept golfing until age 90. He volunteered for Meals on Wheels for just as long. A handy do-it-yourselfer, he constructed his kids a go-cart from scratch, built furniture that adorns his children's homes to this day, and transformed the Palmerosa into a working farm with almost a dozen different kinds of animals. He loved snowmobiles and boats and NASCAR, traveling up and down the east coast to races with his sons and his brother. He loved a martini and a cigar and knew how to throw a party; he was known for hosting big gatherings with all of his colleagues, friends, and family. He traveled extensively throughout the United States with his children, and, later, Europe with his wife. However, the family camp in Redfield, which is called Camp Lucy, was always his favorite place to be. Gene was tough, old-school, but he was sentimental too and forever had his children's needs at heart. He assigned his children farm chores before and after school, forming a group of lifelong hard workers. He bought an ice cream store so his kids would have a job during school breaks. He organized multiple vacations to Nags Head, North Carolina, for the entire family, which included his children, their spouses, and his grandchildren. He traveled the country to attend recitals, sports games, and graduations. For years, at Thanksgiving, he would ask for silence to remind everyone, with tears in his eyes, that none of this was possible without Jane. We ask that you remember him for the way that he lived: with courage, heart, and a mischievous sparkle in his baby blue eyes. Family and friends are invited to visit the Barber Funeral Home, 413 S. Main St., in Horseheads, on Monday, May 5th, from 2 pm to 5 pm. We will gather to celebrate Gene's life at 5 pm. For those who want to honor Gene with a gift, we are asking for charitable donations to Meals on Wheels of Chemung County.