Harris H. Palmer of Westhampton Beach died on January 2 after a battle with cancer. He was 69.
Mr. Palmer was born on February 16, 1940, in White Plains to Dr. Harris Palmer and his wife, Jessie. Raised in Westfield, New Jersey, he earned both his undergraduate degree and MBA from Cornell University.
He worked as an executive with Mobil Oil Company and was stationed in Italy during the early part of his career. While in Italy, he managed real estate properties and investments for the company in Rome, Naples and Florence. He later returned to the company’s headquarters in New York City.
He spent most weekends and summers in Westhampton Beach and became a year-round resident of the village after his retirement. Even after retirement, he continued to manage a real estate advisory business that he had established years prior.
In addition, he retained an active link to his alma mater, recruiting students for Cornell and helping with the university’s fund-raising efforts, as well as managing alumni affairs.
He was also involved with numerous area organizations, including serving as treasurer of the Friends of the Westhampton Free Library.
Family members recalled his love of Italian cuisine, a passion cultivated during his several years in Italy, adding that he became an accomplished chef with “a prized collection of traditional recipes he relied on to prepare weekend and holiday meals for friends or neighbors.”
He is survived by a sister, Mary Grace Terry of Colorado.
The family will receive visitors on Friday, January 8, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Follett and Werner Funeral Home on Mill Road in Westhampton Beach. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 9, at 11 a.m. at the Westhampton Presbyterian Church on Meetinghouse Road in Westhampton Beach. Interment will be at a later date at the Alder Creek Cemetery in Syracuse.
on Jan 6, 2010