In 1985 Walter I. "Bob" Palmer became head of the Peace Corps in Tanzania where he worked to promote hatcheries and grain farming, while supervising 48 volunteers



In 1985 Walter I. "Bob" Palmer became head of the Peace Corps in Tanzania where he worked to promote hatcheries and grain farming, while supervising 48 volunteers

State Flags Lowered for State Sen. Walter I. "Bob" Palmer



October 27, 2004
Wednesday


Juneau, Alaska - Governor Frank H. Murkowski on Tuesday ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff for Walter I. "Bob" Palmer, former state senator and Hammond administration official who died on Monday at his home in Juneau. Flags will remain at half-staff until Nov. 5.

Palmer, formerly of Ninilchik, was elected to the state Senate in 1966 and served until 1974 when he was appointed special projects coordinator for Gov. Jay Hammond promoting the Delta Barley Project and commercial grain farming in Alaska.

He also served as an Alaska delegate to the International Law of the Sea Conference in 1973. In 1985 Palmer became head of the Peace Corps in Tanzania where he worked to promote hatcheries and grain farming, while supervising 48 volunteers.

Born in Hutchinson, Kansas in 1926, Palmer came to Alaska in 1948 and homesteaded close to Ninilchik, on the Kenai Peninsula. He worked as a farmer, commercial fisherman, aircraft engineer and science teacher.

Palmer is survived by his wife, Virginia, seven children and two stepchildren. A memorial service is planned for 4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 7, at Northern Light United Church in Juneau.

When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Your vote makes a difference Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers The Kerry campaign wants the RPCV vote. Read our interview with Dave Magnani, Massachusetts State Senator and Founder of "RPCVs for Kerry," and his answers to our questions about Kerry's plan to triple the size of the Peace Corps, should the next PC Director be an RPCV, and Safety and Security issues. Then read the "RPCVs for Kerry" statement of support and statements by Dr. Robert Pastor, Ambassador Parker Borg, and Paul Oostburg Sanz made at the "RPCVs for Kerry" Press Conference. RPCV Carl Pope says the key to winning this election is not swaying undecided voters, but persuading those already willing to vote for your candidate to actually go to the polls. Take our poll and tell us what you are doing to support your candidate. Finally read our wrap-up of the eight RPCVs in Senate and House races around the country and where the candidates are in their races.

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Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before. Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security.

Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention Governor Schwarzenegger praised the Peace Corps at the Republican National Convention: "We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to teach village children." Schwarzenegger has previously acknowledged his debt to his father-in-law, Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver, for teaching him "the joy of public service" and Arnold is encouraging volunteerism by creating California Service Corps and tapping his wife, Maria Shriver, to lead it. Leave your comments and who can come up with the best Current Events Funny?

Peace Corps: One of the Best Faces of America Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and can you come up with a Political Funny?

Read the stories and leave your comments.