Gladys (Palmer) Ducar quietly passed away on July 23, 2011.
She was born on June 9, 1920 in Green Island, NY, the daughter of the late Alfred and Emma (Wirtz) Palmer.
Gladys graduated from high school in Troy, NY in 1936 at age 16 and then attended Troy Business College. She was employed as an Executive Secretary by Montgomery Ward Mail Order House in Albany until retiring in 1957. Over the years, she lived in Watervliet, Troy and Cohoes, NY before moving to Fredonia, in 1963 with her husband, Michael Ducar and daughter, Debra Ducar.
They enjoyed traveling to all of the states on the mainland U.S. during their marriage. After her husbands death, Gladys continued her traveling to Alaska and Hawaii to complete her goal to eventually see every state in the U.S. She later joined a tour travel group and set her sights on visiting countries in Europe. Hours were spent reliving her memories of her European travels through photos and postcards.
Gladys and her husband were members of the Dunkirk Elks Lodge for many years and she was a great support to her husband during his year as Exalted Ruler at the Lodge. She had been a member of the First United Methodist Church in Fredonia since 1963 and was also a member of their Faith Circle. She was an active member of Share & Care art class and RSVP to which she donated many hand-knitted lap robes for nursing home patients. She was an extremely kind person who always put other people first. Her granddaughter, Liza (OConnor) Pope brought great joy to her life. She made sure that she never missed an opportunity to attend Lizas soccer games, track meets, musicals, concerts, etc.
Throughout the years, she took pleasure in gardening, traveling, bird watching, completing, puzzles, crocheting, knitting and rediscovering a talent for oil painting. A yearly highlight for her over the years was the annual family reunion and family competition betting the horses at Saratoga Race Track. During the years she resided at her daughters farm, she cherished her time spent admiring the apple trees, horses, goat and deer. Being from the city, she never expected that she would eventually come to reside on a farm.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Michael Ducar, who died Dec. 20, 1988; her beloved brother, Alfred Palmer; and nephew, Jeffery Palmer.
Surviving are her daughter, Debra (Ducar) OConnor of North Collins and her granddaughter, Liza (OConnor) Pope of Orchard Park. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Patricia Palmer of Latham, NY and nephews, great-nephews, nieces and great-nieces.