Florence Palmer

Long time Alaska resident Florence Palmer, 95, peacefully passed away August 22nd at Tranquility Manor in Palmer. A funeral service will be held at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church where Flo was a faithful and well- loved member of the congregation on Wednesday, August 31st at 4 p.m. Florence was born in Seattle, Washington on January 2, 1921 the second of five children to Raymond and Margaret Thurston. She graduated from Anacortes High School and married James Rawhouser in 1939.

She and Jim moved to Dillingham, Alaska in 1939 and spent two years living there while he fished and ran a trapline. They lived in a cabin with no electricity and traveled by dog team. At the start of World War 2 they were evacuated from Alaska and returned to Bellingham, Washington where they stayed to start and raise their family of three children. In 1965 Flo and Jim returned to Alaska to live in Whittier where he was the Port Captain and Mayor and she was the school librarian. Flo remained in Whittier for six years after Jim passed and made her way to Palmer in 1986 where she married Larry Palmer. Florence was active in her church and communities as well as working in the local libraries. Upon retirement she and Larry volunteered many hours at church and she enjoyed gardening and spending time with her family. Flo was an avid and accomplished reader and spent much of her free time reading; she often read a book a day. Florence's family wrote, " Her quick wit, fierce intelligence and love of celebrating life will always be cherished and she will be dearly missed." Florence is survived by her three children, Jim Rawhouser of Orange , California, Kathy Jackman of Palmer, Alaska, and Tina Huffaker, her husband Jerry Huffaker of Chugiak, Alaska; her seven grandchildren, Peter Huffaker of Las Vegas, Nevada, Dan Barker, his wife Heather Barker of Anchorage , Alaska, Elizabeth Crowley, her husband Dane Crowley of Palmer, Alaska, Jennifer Huffaker of Chugiak, Alaska, Marie Lukhtanov, her husband Alex Lukhtanov of Palmer, Alaska, Josh Rawhouser of Anaheim, California, Knickolaus Rawhouser of Orange, California; her great grandchildren, Ben,Katie, Henry, Isaac, and Derek. Mrs. Palmer was preceded in death by her husband Larry Palmer, her husband James Rawhouser; her brothers Ray and Stan; her sisters Maggie and Bonnie, and her infant son John. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Palmer Senior Center. Arrangements have been entrusted to Kehl's Mortuary.