Biography for Russell Palmore

The Monday after our High School graduation,  I registered for Freshman Biology at Howard Payne.   Three and one-half years later,  I had finished work on my Business/Economics degree and was soon in the United States Air Force.     I was fortunate to be assigned to the Judge Advocates Office at Schilling AFB near Salina, Kansas.   After serving just over three years,  I left Kansas, headed back to Texas and found a job with Aetna Life and Casualty in San Antonio. 

 

I was soon transferred to Corpus Christi where a good friend introduced me to a wonderful young lady from Beeville and a year later,  Sandy and I were married.   Our oldest child,  Joe was born in Corpus Christi and daughter Becky,  was born in San Antonio. 

 

After a few years in Corpus Christi and San Antonio,  our family was  transferred to the Aetna Home Office in Hartford,  Connecticut area  and then back to Texas for several management positions. We were living in Austin when I retired  from Aetna in 1996.  A second career opportunity soon opened up and I was fortunate to serve several more years in the insurance business as a Vice President with the Zurich North America Company.    Sandy worked for many years as a CPA but now we are both fully retired and living in The Woodlands,  a great community about 35 miles north of Houston. 

 

 Becky,  her husband Brian and their two children,  Gabriel (5) and Alli (3)  live just two miles from us and we see them often. 

 

Joe and his wife Tara, live with their sons Simon (6) and Teddy (2)  in Washington DC.  Sandy and I are committed to being an active part in their lives and  travel there every six weeks or so.  We are excited that Joe and Tara are expecting a third little boy this June!

 

In retirement,  I'm active in Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County and work there two days a week.   I have a shop here at the house and love to piddle out there.  I knew that High School Shop Class would come in handy!  We are fortunate to be able to travel to Europe fairly often,  and will make our sixth trip there this fall with about a month in Eastern Europe to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary.  And to all my Choir friends,  you'll be interested in knowing that I'm still singing,  in a Senior Choir and the Chancel Choir at our church and in the Woodlands Community Men's Chorus. 

 

I want to share with you the last visit I had with Cullen Johnson.  He made a statement which I've never forgotten.   He said,  "We were so fortunate to grow up in Brownwood,  in a loving and supportive atmosphere,  surrounded by wonderful family,  friends and teachers who were genuinely interested in us and our success".  I couldn't have said it better.  See you soon.   Russell Palmore