THOMAS HOWARD PALMER JR., M.D.

BANGOR – Thomas H. Palmer Jr., M.D., 84, died peacefully March 10, 2009. He was born April 19, 1924, to Thomas Howard Palmer Sr. and Elizabeth Agnes (Higgins) Palmer. A graduate of Arlington (Mass.) High School in 1942, he was awarded a scholarship to Harvard College. After freshmen year, during World War II, he joined the U.S. Navy, which kept him in the Harvard pre-medical accelerated program until 1944. He was then sent by the Navy to Tufts University Medical School, Boston, where he graduated with honors in 1948. He served a one year internship at Boston City Hospital, 1948-1949, followed by residency at New England Medical Center, Boston, 1949-1950. He then began a Charlton Research Fellowship but was called to active duty by the U.S. Navy because of the Korean War. He served from 1950 to 1952 as a navy medical corps lieutenant at military hospitals and on shipboard around the world. After discharge from the Navy in 1952, he returned to Tufts New England Medical Center as a resident surgeon and completed his training both in Bangor and Boston as surgical resident in 1955. In 1954 he married Mary Ellen Herlihy, who was the daughter of Bangor physician Edward Herlihy, M.D., and his wife, Madeline. They raised four sons and a daughter together. In 1955 he established his practice in surgery at Eastern Maine Medical Center and St. Joseph Hospital, Bangor, and continued as a surgeon until his retirement in 1989 at age 65. During his 34-year career in surgery, he served as president of the medical staff at Eastern Maine Medical Center, 1973-1975; as well as chief of surgery at St. Joseph Hospital, 1967-1974 and 1980-1985. He was a trustee of Eastern Maine Medical Center, 1982-1989; a director of Eastern Maine Healthcare, 1982-2003; and a director of Eastern Maine Charities, 1995-2003. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from Eastern Maine Healthcare in 1987. For many years he was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and was president of the Maine Chapter 1969-1970. He was also a diplomat of the American Board of Surgery, a member of New England Surgical Society, Maine Medical Association and Alpha Omega Alpha, the national honor medical society. He was the author of multiple publications in medical journals. After retirement, he enjoyed reading history, writing and especially gardening, both in Hancock at Berry Hill Farm and in Bangor. Towards the end of his life, the publication of his book, Cracked Marbles, brought him great joy with his message of the importance of the physician-patient relationship. A special thanks to Joan McCrackin for her wisdom and guidance in the publishing of the book. In addition to his parents of Cambridge, Mass., he was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Mary Ellen; his brother, John Lambert Palmer of Weymouth, Mass.; and his brother-in-law, John Fennessey, M.D., of Grosse Pointe, Mich. He is survived by his sister, Anita Fennessey of Michigan; his sister-in-law, Maureen Palmer of Hanover, Mass.; his daughter, Anne P. Graham of North Yarmouth and her husband, Ron and their children, Andrew, Cameron and Hunter; his sons, Thomas H. Palmer III of Dedham and wife, Belinda and children, Molly and Tommy; Edward H. Palmer of Scarborough and wife, Jennifer and children, Abigail, Ted, Margaret and Madeline; David A. Palmer of Windham and his wife, Susan; Valerie Palmer and children, Emily, Alec and Jacqueline of Bangor; James L. Palmer of Scarborough and his wife, Nancy and daughter, Sarah. He also had 10 special nieces and nephews. A special note of thanks to Suzy, Ritchie, Bob and Gail Bach, New Hope Hospice and New England Home Health for their compassion and care. Relatives and friends are invited to call 4-7 p.m. Sunday, March 15, at Brookings-Smith, 133 Center St., Bangor. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Monday, March 16, at St. John’s Catholic Church, 207 York St., Bangor. A reception will be held 1-4 p.m. Monday, March 16, at the Lucerne Inn, Dedham. Gifts in his memory may be made to the Thomas H. Palmer Jr., M.D. Fund to benefit CancerCare of Maine, sent to Healthcare Charities, P.O. Box 931, Bangor, ME 04402-0931 or to St. Joseph Healthcare, P.O. Box 1638, Bangor, ME 04402-1638. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.