ELLIE WINFIELD N. PALMER
Funeral services for the Rev. Dr. Ellie Winfield Nathaniel Palmer will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday at Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, 805 S. Main St., Sumter, with Dr. Marion H. Newton, senior pastor, officiating. Interment will follow at Hillside Memorial Park, Sumter.
The public may view from 3 to 8 p.m. today at Palmer Memorial Chapel with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m.
The Rev. Palmer transitioned on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018, at his residence in Sumter.
He was born in Eutawville, the eighth of 12 children born to the late Rev. Josiah and Zadie Smith Palmer. Ellie was a graduate of Roberts High School in Holly Hill, Class of 1952. He began his education at Morris College in Sumter. In 1954, he was drafted into the United States Army and served his country during the Korean Conflict. After serving two years, he returned to South Carolina and completed his degree at Morris College, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics in 1959. He also received a Bachelor of Divinity degree in theology in 1979 from Morris College. In 1976, he was awarded a Master of Education degree in secondary education from the University of South Carolina in Columbia.
Ellie was baptized at First Baptist Church in Vance and later moved to Sumter in 1952, where he joined the Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church under the pastorate of the late Dr. Benjamin F. Weston. Dr. Palmer had been a faithful member of Jehovah Baptist Church for 62 years.
Dr. Ellie W. Palmer was married to the late Rev. Dr. Shirley M. Palmer and to this union three children were born, Wanda, Ronald and Ellie II. His son, Larry, was born prior to his marriage.
For 31 years, Dr. Palmer was the pastor of High Hills Baptist Church in Dalzell. He served as a high school mathematics instructor at Central High School, Cross. In 1965, he was employed by Sumter County School District 2 as a high school mathematics instructor and assistant coach at Eastern High School. During integration, he was transferred to Mayewood High School as mathematics teacher / coach for 11 years and, in 1973, he was promoted to assistant principal. Dr. Palmer served as assistant principal for five years until 1977, when he was promoted as the first African-American principal of Mayewood High School. He remained in the position for 20 years. In 1992, Dr. Palmer retired from the field of education after 33 years of faithful and successful service in the schools and the community.
Dr. Palmer served the Morris College Sumter Alumni Chapter and was a past national alumni president. On May 10, 2003, Morris College was pleased to confer upon Dr. Palmer the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity.
Dr. Palmer was a lifetime member of the NAACP. He served as a member of the Morris College Board of Trustees; as vice moderator and past moderator of Wateree Baptist Association Lower Division; and South Sumter Revitalization Committee Advisory member. He was a member of Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church.
His survivors include Wanda Palmer Brown of the home, Ellie Winfield II (Mildred) Palmer of Sumter, Larry (Yvette) Haigler of Philadelphia and Ronald Winfield (Debograh) Palmer of Blythewood; five brothers, the Rev. Benjamin F. (Annie Ruth) Palmer, Joe (Claire) Palmer, John (Elizabeth) Palmer, Samuel (Elsie) Palmer of Eutawville and James (Ruby) Palmer of Holly Hill; one sister, Ernestine Palmer (Henry) Mack of Bronx, New York; one brother-in-law, Eugene McFadden of Sumter; nine grandchildren, Nehemiah (Ebony), Amber, Perrin (Yessica), Brittany, Brianna, Tamiris, Tianna, Ethan and Aidan; three great-grandchildren, Saniyah, Siani and Katalina; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Special thanks to his caregivers, Eugene McFadden, Freddie Bennett, Linda and Pete Taylor, Anthony Rich, Mildred Palmer, Ethan Palmer and Aiden Palmer; and Hospice Care of South Carolina: Dr. Billy Clowney, Dr. William Kellogg, Mandy Harrison, Latoya McKenzie and Daisy Godwin.
He was preceded in death by brothers, Frank and Isaac Palmer; sisters, Mary Lee Palmer Fuller, Emma Palmer Myers and Cora Lee Palmer Bowman; and a special daughter, Linda Pinckney Taylor of Cross.
Dr. Palmer's favorite scripture was "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
Condolences may be made on his tribute page found at www.PalmerMemorialChapel.com
Professional services rendered by Palmer Memorial Chapel Inc.