Jeff was born in Rochester, New York to Donald George Palmer and Betty Mae Palmer on March 31, 1952. Brother Lynn David was born in 1955. They lived a very modest life, in a house the parents built with their own two hands. Dad worked for Kodak in Rochester, which led to transfers back and forth from coast to coast during their lives. The family moved to Lompoc in 1965, then back to New York after Jeff completed his degree at Lompoc High School in 1972. He then married Susan in 1973 and insisted on moving back to the beautiful Lompoc Valley immediately. Initially he worked for Burpee Seed Company, driving tractors and performing maintenance for the large farm company. He tired of working 6 long days a week and wanted something more stable, and applied for a tree trimming position at the  City of Lompoc. He also worked in the City Garage as a mechanic. He then moved on to a machinist job at Smith-Mabry in Santa Maria after he taught himself, on a lathe he purchased, to perform intricate machine work. Finally, wanting to work closer to home, he again worked for the City at the Wastewater Plant and retired from there as a maintenance supervisor in 2008.

Son Braden Leigh was born in 1980 and daughter Maureen Elizabeth (now Stroud) in 1983. Jeff remained very busy working and struggling to buy their first home in Lompoc just before Maureen's birth.

From a very young age, Jeff loved taking things apart and putting them back together: toys, bicycles, radios, engines. He saw in everything a way to improve, modify, revise and refine. As he became more knowledgeable about how things worked, he loved to build, create and invent. He always preferred shop and tech classes growing up. His car engine knowledge began when the family purchased a new Corvair in 1963 when Jeff was 11. Later he and his brother made a hobby out of finding broken down Corvairs, fixing them just enough to drive them home, tear them apart and rebuild them with salvaged parts. They became Corvair experts.

Jeff always loved the idea of flying, but didn't feel it was within his reach until 1989, when he began flying lessons at Lompoc Airport. He purchased a 1954 Cessna 170 that same year, and it became his baby and lifelong project. Jeff performed all his own mechanical, electrical and body work, and was very passionate about keeping it pristine and learning to be a better pilot. Eventually he also acquired a 2 seater Cessna 140 and flew that as well for several years. In 2017 he ached to learn aerobatics, reluctantly sold the 170, and purchased a 1969 Citabria, a 2-seater aerobatic airplane. He taught himself to perform loops, barrel rolls and other maneuvers. He also learned to formation fly from an expert and performed with other local pilots.

Jeff married his second wife Holly in 1994. Holly came to the marriage with 4 children, which Jeff took on as a new challenge, and performed well!  Jeff and Holly raised all 6 children in their household, all graduating from Lompoc High School.

Over the last 20 years Jeff focused on family, flying, projects at the airport and around the house, and building a strong network of friends. He was a passionate but easygoing person. He loved to help others, especially at the airport. He was  integral to the success of many events (i.e. Piper Cub Fly In, Airport Days, etc.) at the airport and in aviation. He introduced aviation to many adults and young people (i.e EAA's Young Eagles program). He attended many Fly Ins over the years and loved any excuse to fly. Sadly he had been unable to fly his plane since becoming ill with Glioblastoma in March 2022. The family appreciates all pilot friends at Lompoc and other local airports for offering to fly his plane or take him up in their planes during his illness.

Jeff is survived by his wife Holly Palmer, children Braden Palmer  and Maureen (Matt) Stroud, stepchildren William (Jane) Norling, Michael Norling Jr., April (Zach) McDonald and John (Becka) Norling, brother Lynn David (Karin) Palmer, and grandchildren Brianna Stroud, Madeline McDonald, Mari Norling, Finn Norling, Akio Renteria, Sera O'Berry, and James O'Berry.

Celebration of Life Memorial BBQ and Open house on Saturday, March 11 at the Palmer Hanger at Lompoc Airport, from 11am-3pm. All of Jeff's friends are welcom. Food will be available 12-3.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the Experimental Aircraft Association's Young Eagles program