Robbie Palmer

Robbie Sue Barnett Palmer of Shelby Shores, age 85, born March 30th 1938, died peacefully in her sleep on the eve of March 31, 2023. Robbie Sue was originally from Talladega, Alabama, a graduate of Winterboro high school.

Funeral arrangements have been made at Jefferson Memorial in Trussville located at 1591 Gadsden Highway, Birmingham, Ala 352023. Visitation will be from 9:00 am to 10:00 am and graveside service will be held from 10:00 am to 10:30am.

Robbie Sue was a strong fiery, feisty, woman with a great sense of humor. She grew up with 3 older sisters and a younger brother. After graduating high school, she convinced one of her older sisters to move to Birmingham with her. Robbie Sue started working at the Industries for the Blind. She understood disabilities and challenges, she had contracted polio at 15 months. Robbie Sue continued to thrive in Birmingham and while her sister returned home, she found another roommate and a different job at Hayes Aircraft, where she met Robert Grayson Palmer, her husband of 64 years as of last July.

Robbie Sue was a homemaker for many years and then later ventured outside the home to work after her children were older. She worked many different jobs but then found several that would shape her as an advocate for children and senior citizens. She worked as a child care teacher, an intake worker in two different overnight facilities that rescued children from abusive homes. She later worked as a teacher in Head Start in Columbiana, and much later, a field representative for the Black Lung Association in Shelby county, driving all over, to locate and inform miners of benefits and resources to assist them with a diagnosis of black lung. Many years later she was manager for at the original location of the Columbiana Senior Citizens Program on the Aging, advocating for a new building and eventually getting to see that vision come true.

Robbie Sue Barnett Palmer is preceded in death by parents: Harvey Lee Barnett and Cora Lee Kelly Barnett, two of three sisters- Agnes Barnett and Alice Barnett Houghston, and one brother, Jimmy Barnett.

She leaves behind her husband of 64 years, Robert Grayson Palmer, daughter Lea Roxanne Palmer Jones, son, Robert Taft Palmer and one sister, Louise Barnett Sewell.