Eleanor Rachel Palmer (née Thornton)

September 15, 2019

Eleanor Rachel Palmer (née Thornton) died peacefully on Sunday, September 15, 2019. She lived a full life of 96 years. Eleanor was born on November 9, 1922 in Regina, Saskatchewan to Louis A. Thornton and Agnes Thornton (née Van Every). Beloved wife of the late John Charles Gilbert Palmer. Loving mother of Nancy Bryans (Rev. Robert), William (Bill) Palmer (Dr. Sunu Liao), and Joyce Palmer. Beloved grandmother of Sarah Bryans, Laura Bryans, Carol Bryans, John Palmer, and Christine Palmer.Eleanor is predeceased by her dear sisters and brothers-in-law Agnes Peters (John), Marion Bowering (Dr. Melvin), Catherine Scott (Richard), Constance Pearce (Leslie), and Joyce Wallace (John). She is survived by her loving brother Rev. Louis Thornton (Patricia) and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family. Our family wishes to thank the staff at the Isabel & Arthur Meighen Manor (Coombs Ward)and, before that, the staff at the Avondale Retirement Residence, for their excellent and supportive care of our dear Mom.Let us now celebrate the memory of Eleanor, who chose to fill her life with a love of nature, compassion for others, community service, humility, and grace. She may not have realized how much her life has influenced all of us. As per her wishes, cremation has taken place. Family and friends are invited to a Memorial Service that will be held at the Jubilee United Church, 40 Underhill Dr., Toronto, ON, on Friday, October 18, 2019 at 1:00 pm. Church Website: http://jubileeunited.ca/ Eleanor supported several charities, including the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Nature Conservancy of Canada; but in her memory, she would have wanted you to simply take a walk outside, observeand touch the flowers,smell the air, listen to the birds, and stop to say hello to someone along the way... Look to this Day! For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course lie all the verities and realities of your existence: The glory of action, the bliss of growth, the splendor of beauty. For yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision. But today, well lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, And every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well, therefore, to this Day! Such is the Salutation of the Dawn. - Sanskrit Poem "Salutation to the Dawn" by Kalidasa