Linda Fay Palmer Merrit daughter of the late John Wesley Palmer Jr. and Dorothy Beatrice Robinson Palmer was born on August 8, 1948 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri and departed this life on July 11, 2024 at her brothers residence in Bernie, Missouri, surrounded by her beloved family at the age of 75.
Linda Fay was a member of the Community of Christ Church in Bernie and was a resident of Bernie. She was the matriarch of the Palmer family. She treated all her nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews as her own children and grandchildren. She was a wealth of knowledge and the valedictorian of her graduating class. Her family enjoyed sitting around a table with her, and listening to her recall family stories and memories. She constantly researched her family ancestry and would share that information with the rest of her family. She enjoyed traveling and learning about the local history and customs of the places she visited, in her younger years with her husband.
She was united in marriage to Frank Burnside Merritt on January 8, 1974 in Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Merritt preceded her in death on July 15, 2015.
She is survived by her brothers, Larry Palmer of Bloomfield, Missouri, John Palmer and wife Sheri of Bernie, Missouri, and Randy Palmer and wife Vivian of Tampa, Florida; by her sisters, Sandra Kay Cryts and Sally Cloninger both of Bernie, Missouri, and Brenda Smith and husband Larry of Bloomfield, Missouri; by her granddaughter, Savannah Merritt of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; and she was the beloved Aunt to many nieces, nephews and great nieces and great-nephews; and by many more extended family and friends.
Other than by her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Jeremy Merritt; by two brothers, Ronald Gene Palmer Sr., and Jackie Wayne Palmer Sr.; by three sisters, Rita Burch, Linda Jane Ford, and Debra Kay Palmer; and by her step mother, Annie Lee Farr Palmer.
A Celebration of Life service will be conducted at a later date. Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie, Missouri is assisting the family with arrangements.
