Daniel Jay Palmer, age 72, of Lake Charles, La., passed away on Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. He was born Monday, July 31, 1950, in Leesville, La.
He was an extremely family oriented man who loved his wife, children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren with a very special bond for his mother, sister and cousins. Holidays and family gatherings were Extraordinary where he was concerned.
Danny grew up in Leesville, La. Graduated from Leesville High School of 1969.
He attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La.
For over 30 years, Danny worked as a Mud Engineer in Oil Fields around the world. Beginning in the early-eighties he partnered with a friend establishing “Rowdy Yates,” a drilling fluids company. A few years later he went to work with Milchem, then Baker Hughes ending with Murphy Oil Company until his retirement. He traveled extensively around the world with the oil field business working in countries that included Somalia, Holland, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Sudan, Argentina, Yemen, and across the United States.
In 2019, Danny was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Nov. 28, 2019, on Thanksgiving Day, he received the call that they had a lung for him and he and his wife immediately drove to Baylor St. Luke Medical in Houston, Texas. Through the dedicated transplant team of doctors and nurses, he was able to have another three years with his family and friends.
Danny loved life to its fullest. His passion of Golf lasted throughout his adult life where he was a member of the “Bunker Boys” Golfing Group while living in Phoenix, Arizona for 27 plus years and remained dedicated to his home state Louisiana golfer friends playing on many courses.
He also had a passion for music… any type of music but especially Jazz. (in high school he played trumpet and guitar).
He loved having his famous “Crawfish Boils”, Mardi Gras parties and cooking.
He was preceded in death by his father, Raymond Jay Palmer.
Those left to cherish his memories are his wife of 37 years, Kay Palmer; his mother, Martha Jean Darwin Palmer of Leesville, La.; his daughter, Ashley Palmer Dishon and husband Todd of Phoenix, Ariz.; his son, Kristopher Alexander and wife Tammy Alexander of Portland, Ore.; his sister, Martha Ellen “Pud’n” Waller and husband Jerry W. Waller, Covington, La.; his granddaughter, Danielle Hannah of Phoenix, Ariz.; his grandson, Kristopher Jay Mabbitt of Phoenix, Ariz., Nicholas Alexander of Portland, Ore., Steffan Green and husband Dane Amling of Phoenix, Ariz., Jordan Dishon of Phoenix Ariz.; his niece, Tiffany Danielle Lynch and partner Tim Palmer of Cypress, Texas; his great-niece, Paige Lauren Prejean of Chapel Hill, N.C.; his nephew, Michael Landon Lynch of Watsonville, Calif.; his sister-in-law, Jackie Bowman and husband Leo Bowman of Iowa, La.; his great-granddaughters, Emerson Hannah, and Octavia Amling, Phoenix, Ariz.; his great-grandsons, Eli Amling, Isaiah Amling, and Jasper Amling of Phoenix, Ariz.; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and hundreds of friends locally and around the world.
The family will welcome the public for visitation at J. E. Hixson & Sons Funeral Home Monday, Nov. 28, 2022, from 9 a.m. until time of funeral service at 1 p.m.
Cremation will follow funeral services.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be expressed at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com.