Gary Melvin Palmer

Gary Melvin Palmer, 86, was born in Provo, Utah September 23, 1940 to Lawrence Melvin Palmer and Edith Josephine Poulson Palmer. Gary died in Capitola, CA, October 2, 2026

Gary grew up in Orem, Utah. He graduated from Orem High School, where he earned the nickname “Golden Toe” for his prowess as kicker on the football team.

Gary graduated from Brigham Young University. He completed the U.S. Air Force ROTC program and upon graduation began four years of Air Force military service. He attained the rank of Captain. Gary was navigator on a KC-135 mid-air refueling tanker plane. In a time before the Global Position System, tools of oversea navigation were sextant and calculator.. Perhaps because of that experience Gary valued precision and enjoyed gadgets.

Gary was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served a mission for the Church in Japan. Throughout his life Gary served in many positions of service and leadership within the Church and was very aware of and willing to help others.

Gary married Karen Kaye Hancock June 16, 1967 in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were soul mates. At the time of Karen’s death last July 4th they had been married 59 years. Karen was a devoted wife and mother. She was a master teacher. She served for 33 years on the School Board of the Santa Cruz Live Oak School District.

When Gary completed military service he became a franchisee of the promising Bumbleberry Restaurant chain and Gary and Karen moved to Santa Cruz to own and operate a restaurant there. When the parent company failed the Santa Cruz location closed and Gary took over and tried to save the Pruneyard location in San Jose; but the inherited debt burden was unmanageable. Gary became a home mortgage broker.

Karen and Gary had two daughters—Robin and Valerie. Valerie died of cancer in 2011. She was survived by two sons: Riley Sean Gorodsky, then age nine, and Nathan Davis Hutchins, age four. Riley was raised primarily by his paternal grandparents and Nathan stayed with Gary and Karen. Gary became full-time “Papa” and Karen worked until age 82 as Executive Administrative Assistant at Cisco Corp,

Gary was predeceased by his parents, his wife Karen, his daughter Valerie and his brother Gaylen Palmer. He is survived by his daughter Robin Palmer (Gary Lee Gammenthaler), Pleasant Grove, Utah; brothers Merrill Palmer, St. George, Utah and Bruce Palmer (Kaye), Lindon, Utah; sister Karen Johnson (Jim), Arvada CO; and six grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life memorial service will be held at 11:00am PDT Saturday, October 17, 2026 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints chapel, 220 Elk Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95065.