Mary Jeannette Mathis Palmer

May 6, 1943 – August 9, 2016

Jeannette Mathis Palmer, affectionately known as “JJ”, 73, of Bainbridge, Ga., passed away Tuesday, August 9, 2016.

The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, August 11, 2016, at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Mike Brown and Rev. Stephen Webb officiating. Interment will follow at Oak City Cemetery with Harry Smith, Edward Reynolds, Shawn Surratt, Bill Cooper, Tom Conger, and Ryan Phillips serving as active pallbearers.

The family will receive friends from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 10, 2016, at Ivey Funeral Home. Online visitors may sign the guest register at www.iveyfuneral.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the local charity of your choice.

Mary Jeannette Mathis was born May 6, 1943 in Cairo, Ga., the daughter of Russell Carl Mathis and Lucy Beatrice Tilley Mathis. Jeannette married Robert Leavy “Bobby” Palmer, Jr. and later moved from Camilla to Bainbridge. She was a graduate of Valdosta State College and earned a Masters in Education from Georgia South Western University. Jeannette spent 35 years educating children in Mitchell, Thomas, Decatur and Grady County Schools. After retirement she decided to work with adults with developmental disabilities and served as a Service Coordinator with PCSA. Jeannette was a member of Bainbridge First United Methodist Church, Alpha Delta Kappa, and Decatur County Retired Teachers Association.

JJ enjoyed life and she loved BIG. She claimed friends from almost every corner of the earth and never seemed to meet a stranger. She loved to play bridge, but was game for almost anything. She never backed down from a challenge,especially if she thought there was a good time to be had. Generations of children still feel the impact of the unconditional love of “Miss Palmer” and reminisce on the fun times in her classroom.

Survivors include her children, Robert Mathis “Matt” and Tish Bryan Palmer and Michael Blaine Palmer; her granddaughters, Riley and Gibbs Palmer; and her special friend and caretaker, Linda Johnson. In addition to her parents, Jeannette was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bobby Palmer, and her siblings, Robert Mathis and Frances Mathis.