Richard “Dick” Palmer, who served on a number of Warren’s boards and commissions, died on Thanksgiving, Nov. 27. He was 92.
By: Brian Wells | Warren Weekly | Published December 5, 2025
WARREN — A longtime Warren resident whose decades of service to the city is being remembered as a humble, steady presence.
Richard “Dick” Palmer, who served on a number of Warren’s boards and commissions, died on Thanksgiving, Nov. 27. He was 92.
According to his obituary, Palmer graduated from the University of Detroit before serving in the U.S. Army. He spent 32 years working as a tax analyst for Ford Motor Co.
Palmer, who lived in Warren for 67 years, served 16 years as a PTA officer and six years on the PTA’s area council. He spent 16 years on the Warren Consolidated Schools Board of Education, where he chaired two successful millage campaigns.
Additionally, according to his obituary, he served 10 years on the Warren Library Commission, three years on the Warren Cultural Commission, and 30 years on the board for the Friends of the Warren Library. He was also on the Warren Symphony Orchestra’s board of directors for 19 years.
In addition to many relatives, he is survived by his wife, Genie Palmer, who referred to her husband as a “professional volunteer.”
“He was happiest when he was around his family and people, that’s why he was so involved in everything in the city and the schools,” she said. “He was a professional volunteer, because he just loved to help wherever he could.”
He was a loving dad and grandpa, she said, who loved playing golf and reading books.
“His favorite vacation was just sitting and reading,” she said.
Warren Treasurer Lorie Barnwell said Dick and Genie Palmer were both committed to serving the city.
“Him and his wife just really have servant hearts, and they just really have gone above and beyond for Warren, always,” she said.
Barnwell said she met Palmer at one of the first events she ever went to when she was running for office in 2015.
“I just remember he had a great sense of humor. He was so funny, had a great wit about him, extremely friendly,” she said. “And he was just extremely encouraging of young people growing and developing in their leadership.”
Barnwell, who served with Palmer on the Library Commission, said he never got caught up in the “political back and forth” and always said what he meant.
“And he always said it with a little wit, a little humor. He never took himself or anything too seriously,” she said. “And I mean that in the best possible way. He just really tried to lead with honor and with intention and with humility.”
She added that he was a great example to her when she was beginning in a leadership position in the city. He was never quick to anger, and he always tried to find the best in other people and the best solutions, she said.
“He just really wanted to bring people together to move forward,” Barnwell said.
Warren City Council Secretary Mindy Moore remembered Palmer as being committed to service, community, faith and family, which made Warren a better place, she said in a Facebook post.
Moore served with Palmer on the Warren Symphony Orchestra’s board of directors. His love of music, steady leadership and kind heart were evident in everything he did, she said.
“He was the type of board member you could always count on, prepared, thoughtful, devoted and endlessly supportive of our mission,” she said. “Dick believed in the power of music to bring people together, and he worked tirelessly for nearly two decades to help ensure the symphony’s future.”
What she admired most about Palmer, Moore said, was his genuine warmth.
“Dick always had a smile, a word of encouragement and a deep sense of purpose,” she said. “His service extended far beyond the arts. He gave so much of himself to our schools, our library system, his church communities and to countless organizations that make Warren stronger.”
Former Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said Palmer represented what may be a bygone era of people who are concerned about public service over self service.
“He was always putting the interest of, whether it be the school or the city, above his own,” he said. “He was just a nice, selfless, self-effacing guy.”
Fouts said Palmer was never concerned about himself, only about getting things done.
“He was always about putting the interests of the school district and the city above his own. He had a very familiar, winning smile. He was low-key but very dedicated to helping others,” he said.
He said Palmer and his wife were both focused on public service.
“They were a key part of our community, and they helped to make things go the right way without putting themselves in front,” Fouts said.
In a tribute posted on his Facebook page, Fouts said there was hardly a board or commission on which Palmer wasn’t willing to serve.
“Yet to me, he will always be remembered as a nice guy who put you at ease with his humble winning ways,” he said. “Thanks Dick, you served our city well.”