Myrtle Palmer Rites - Nurse, Midwife

"Funeral services for "Aunt Myrtle" Palmer, 84, well-known San Juan County pioneer, were held Friday afternoon at the Blanding Church. They were under the direction of her grandson, Bishop William Ervin Palmer. Mrs. Palmer died at her home at 6:40 PM Wednesday evening 19 Oct. 1949 following a long illness. A large crowd of relatives and friends attended the service for "Aunt Myrtle." The prayers were offered by grandsons, Lawrence Palmer and James Palmer. A sketch of her life was given by Bishop Palmer and talks were given by grandson, Richard Sellers, a brother David P. Black and Albert Lyman. The choir sang "Sometime Somewhere" with Lucy Harris and Vernon Rowley singing "Garden of Tomorrow". Mamie Adams played "Oh My Father" as an organ solo. The grave was dedicated by a son-in-law, Charles L. Sipe. "Aunt Myrtle" as she was so fondly called by all who knew her was born 20 July 1865 at Circleville, Piute County, Utah the daughter of William Morley Black and Anne Marie Hansen Black. She was the third of their children. Her life was not one of ease and she learned while young to shear sheep, dye the wool, spin yarn, weave it into cloth for her brothers' and sisters' clothing. Her family moved to St. George when she was quite young. She started doing work in the temple when she was thirteen and continued most of time until she married James W. Palmer 7 Dec. 1881 in the St. George Temple at the age of sixteen. They moved immediately to Orderville where the young bride was given the job of working in the kitchen. A year later her first child William Zemira was born. The second child was born after the little family moved to Snowflake, Arizona. They moved again to Old Mexico in the year 1885. It was while she was living there that "Aunt Myrtle" took a nursing course and immediately started a nursing career as a midwife. She received a promise at that time that if she would always be humble and prayerful that she would be blessed in her work. She was greatly blessed too, for of the 500 babies she delivered she lost only two babies and no mothers. Her pay for her services as nurse and midwife was just whatever people could give her at the time. In 1912 she was driven out of Old Mexico with many other families who are now living at Blanding. No one was allowed to go back and get valuables or necessities of life. At this time "Aunt Myrtle" settled at Bluff where she remained five years. During this time she continued her nursing and also continued it until just a short time before her death. Since 1917 she has lived at Blanding. "Aunt Myrtle" Palmer is the mother of 12 children and the following 9 survive her: Rachel Sellers, California; Ellis Palmer, Provo; Chloe Nelson, Tucson, Arizona; John, Mrs. Ida P. Nielson, Joseph, Mrs. Viola Sipe, Guy, and Kenneth of Blanding. She is also survived by 73 grandchildren and 106 great grandchildren. Mrs. Palmer came from a large faithful family. Her father joined the church in the early days of Salt Lake City, was the husband of five wives and father of 40 children - 20 sons and 20 daughters. His posterity is 2700. Aunt Myrtle and two of her sisters, Mary Ann and Eva married James W. Palmer. Mary Ann died years ago. Mr. Palmer a few years ago. Aunt Eva still lives surrounded by a large family here in Blanding. Aunt Myrtle retired from her nursing career in 1937. In the winter of 1941 her health started failing and for the past three years she has been in bed most of the time".

Courtesy of Cynthia Alldridge.