Robert Alfred "Bob" Palm, age 84, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois died Thursday, February 9, 2006, at his home in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

He was born March 25, 1921, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, son of Alfred Palm and Marie (Broeker) Palm.

He married Mary Ann Shaw on September 7, 1946 in West Allis, Wisconsin and she survives.

Bob is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Palm of Mt. Vernon; one son, Robert Lee "Rusty" Palm and wife Amber of Tucson, Arizona; two daughters, Cynthia Ann Longwell and husband Dr. Charles of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, and Catherine Ann Palm-Gessner and husband Dr. Robert Gessner of Macomb, Illinois; three grandchildren, Dr. Charles Longwell, III of St. Louis, Missouri. Kathleen Palm of Chicago, Illinois, and Elyse Palm of Westerville, Ohio; one brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Jean Shaw of Tallmadge, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews also survive; two beloved cats, Chessie and Tommy.

His parents, one infant granddaughter: Rachel Ann Longwell and one nephew preceded him in death.

Bob was a Veteran of WWII who served as a flight engineer on C-47 transport aircraft with the US Army Air Force in the China, Burma, India Division of the Air Transport Command, and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Vernon, loved camping and travel, motorcycles, cars, making his own Grandfather clock and enjoyed being with his family who were at his side when he passed away.

Bob was a Field Engineer at Caterpillar Tractor Company in Aurora, Illinois retiring in 1983 after 33 years of company service.

Memorial services were held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, February 12, 2006, at First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Vernon, with Military Flag Presentation Service conducted by Ernie Collins, chaplain of the Mt. Vernon American Post #141. The Reverend Rob Dyer officiated.

For those who wish, memorials may be given to the Lobo Animal Rescue Shelter (a no-kill facility in Mt. Vernon) and will be accepted at the church and funeral home or may be mailed to Hughey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 721, Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

Source: Mount Vernon Register News
Date: February 2006
Submitted by: Kiowana Hayes Ferguson