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Robert William Palmer
Born: 10/6/1945
Died: 8/18/2026
Age: 80
Community: Fenton, MI
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Robert William “Bob” Palmer, a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend, passed away on August 18, 2026, at the age of 80. He was born October 6, 1945, to Jay and Marian Palmer.
Bob grew up in East Detroit and attended Lutheran High School East. He went on to Michigan State University, where he earned a degree in Packaging and was a member of Theta Chi fraternity. Following college, Bob proudly served his country during the Vietnam War.
In 1967, Bob married the love of his life, Betty Lou Walle. For 59 years, Bob and Betty built a life together filled with family, friendship, travel and adventure. Together, they raised their two sons, Robert “Rob” and Todd, and the family they created remained the center of Bob’s world throughout his life.
Nothing meant more to Bob than his family. He adored Betty, his boys and his grandchildren, Carson, Lauren, Quinn and Maude. More than anything, Bob wanted the people he loved to know they were loved, respected and taken care of. He showed that love through his actions, by being present, dependable, generous and always there when his family needed him. Their happiness and well being meant everything to him.
Bob and Betty shared a love of travel and adventure, spending many years exploring the world together. Their travels brought them countless experiences, stories and memories and were part of the full and adventurous life they enjoyed side by side.
Bob was, in every sense, a self made man. A gifted businessman with an exceptionally sharp and intelligent mind, he spent more than 20 years with Bunzl, ultimately serving as CEO. His entrepreneurial drive later led him to start his own computer remarketing company, Motor City Computer, which he built, owned and operated. Bob had an instinct for business, an ability to see opportunity and the determination to build something from it. Those closest to him simply considered him a business genius. After years of growing the company, Bob eventually retired and proudly passed Motor City Computer on to his boys, allowing what he had built to continue with the next generation.
Bob brought that same remarkable attention to detail to every part of his life. He was meticulous and extraordinarily organized. There was a place for everything and a plan for what came next. He thought ahead, prepared and made sure things were done well. In many ways, it was another expression of how Bob cared for people. He took care of the details so the people around him felt taken care of, too.
Some of Bob’s happiest memories were made outdoors. An avid and lifelong hunter, he especially treasured time at the deer cabin with his sons, grandsons, extended family and friends. His passion for hunting also took him far beyond Michigan, including memorable hunting trips to Africa.
For Bob, hunting was always about more than the hunt itself. It was about the people beside him, the time together, the friendships, the stories and the traditions passed from one generation to the next. The deer cabin became a gathering place where those traditions took root and where some of his family’s most treasured memories with Bob were made.
Everyone who knew Bob loved him, and somehow, everyone thought they were Bob’s best friend. His cheerful spirit and kind, genuine and gentle nature made people feel welcomed, valued and important. Thoughtful and intelligent, Bob had an easy warmth about him and a gift for connecting with people. Whether you had known him for decades or had only recently met him, Bob had a way of making you feel as though you mattered to him, because you did.
Bob is survived by his beloved wife, Betty; his sons, Robert “Rob” (Lisa) Palmer and Todd Palmer (Laurie); and his grandchildren, Carson, Lauren, Quinn and Maude, who will miss him every day. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jay and Marian Palmer, and his brother, David (Nina) Palmer.
Bob leaves behind a remarkable circle of people who loved him deeply. His life was defined not simply by what he accomplished, but by the way he made people feel: welcomed, respected, cared for and loved. His family will carry forward the traditions he cherished, the lessons he taught them and, most importantly, the example he set for how to care for the people you love. The greatest testament to Bob’s life may simply be how deeply he was loved in return.
Visitation will be held at Sharp Funeral Homes, 1000 Silver Lake Road, Fenton, Michigan, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at Sharp Funeral Homes, 1000 Silver Lake Road, Fenton, Michigan. Burial will follow at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan.
Following the services, family and friends are invited to gather for a luncheon at Spring Meadows Country Club, 1129 Ripley Road, Linden, Michigan, to celebrate Bob’s life and share the stories and memories that made him so loved.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made in Bob’s honor to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation at t2t.org. |
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| Visitation |
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8/26/2026 |
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3:00 PM |
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| Funeral Service |
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8/27/2026 |
| Time: |
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11:00 AM |
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| Location: |
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sharp funeral homes
1000 Silver Lake Road
Fenton, MI 48430Get a Map to this location...
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