Loretta Palmer passed away peacefully in Alamogordo, New Mexico, on August 11, 2026. She will be remembered for her unwavering faith, generous spirit, adventurous heart, remarkable talents, and above all, the unconditional love she gave so freely to her family and to all those fortunate enough to know her.

Services for Loretta will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Artesia, New Mexico, on Friday, August 21. Visitation will begin at 8:30 a.m., followed by the Rosary at 9:30 a.m. and Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Woodbine Cemetery, with a reception afterward at St. Anthony’s.

Loretta was born on December 15, 1935, in Glen Ullin, North Dakota, the eleventh of thirteen children born to Mary Eva (Kohler) and Wilhelm Mayer. In the late 1930s, the family moved to Montana, living first in Hamilton and eventually settling in Missoula, where Loretta attended school and graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in 1953.

On January 28, 1956, Loretta married Milton Duane Palmer in Landsberg, Germany. She had never traveled outside Montana before her marriage, and throughout her life she spoke with great fondness about her remarkable solo journey to Germany, her passage across the Atlantic by ship, and the adventures she and Duane shared while living in Europe. After their time in Germany, where Duane served in the U.S. Air Force, the couple returned, first to Montana, and then lived in communities throughout much of the western United States as Duane pursued his career with Chicago Bridge and Iron Company. Eventually, they settled on a farm in Lake Arthur, New Mexico.

Loretta had a true spirit of adventure and loved to share stories of the places she had seen. She lived in seven states and visited 47, and she never took those experiences for granted. She often told her family how grateful she was to have been blessed with the opportunity to see so much of the country and the world.

A woman of many talents, Loretta approached life with curiosity, creativity, and determination. As a teenager, she was a gifted pencil and charcoal artist and later became a talented oil painter in retirement. As her vision diminished because of macular degeneration, she deeply mourned the loss of her ability to paint. Her failing eyesight was particularly difficult because Loretta was also a voracious reader and, for the decade before her passing, was no longer able to enjoy books as she once had.

Loretta was also an accomplished cook. She liked to joke that when she first married she was “unable to boil water,” but she soon became known for the wonderful meals she prepared for her family and friends. She was a favorite contributor to potlucks and bake sales, especially for her beloved maple bars.

Music was another important part of Loretta’s life. As a young woman she played the guitar, but she eventually became most accomplished on the accordion. She especially loved playing for her family during the many years they lived in Montana. She also took up sewing early in her marriage and, until her oldest children reached their early teens, hand-made virtually all of the family’s clothing.

Perhaps her greatest joy, however, was being a mother. Loretta was fortunate to spend much of her children’s younger years as a stay-at-home mom, and she embraced that role wholeheartedly. As her youngest child entered school, Loretta began working. Even after returning to the workforce, and becoming a widow, she never allowed her job to lessen her devotion to her children or her willingness to be there for them. She continued to make their activities a priority, proudly supporting them, attending their events, and making herself available whenever she was needed. She was the ever-reliable taxi driver not only for her own children, but for their friends as well. Her home, her time, and her heart were always open to the people she loved.

In retirement, Loretta also found great joy in the friendships she made and the time she spent with the wonderful women in her TOPS group and at the Artesia Senior Center. She treasured these friendships and the laughter, companionship, and good times they shared. Those years brought her many happy memories, and she especially loved the camaraderie and fun that came from being part of such a wonderful group of women.

Above all else, Loretta’s Catholic faith was the foundation of her life. She worked diligently to live the teachings of her church and to set an example for others. She attended Mass faithfully until she became too weak to go, and wherever she lived, she found ways to serve her parish community. She spent many years actively involved at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Lake Arthur, where she taught CCD and CYO.

Loretta’s faith gave her strength and comfort throughout her life, particularly during its most difficult seasons. She often spoke of how deeply her faith had carried her through times of sorrow and hardship. Her unconditional love and remarkable capacity for forgiveness were among her greatest gifts. During her final years, as her health declined, her family came to understand just how many lives she had touched through her quiet, steadfast devotion to her faith and to others.

Loretta’s life was one of service, love, faith, family, friendship, and gratitude. She faced challenges with perseverance, embraced life’s adventures with wonder, and found joy in the simple act of giving to others. Her legacy lives on not only in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, but also in the many people whose lives she touched along the way.

Loretta was employed by Lake Arthur Schools until her retirement in December 2000. She moved from Lake Arthur to Artesia in 2011 and then to Alamogordo in 2022.

Loretta was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Duane; her parents; all thirteen of her siblings—five brothers and eight sisters; and her great-grandson, Cy.

She is survived by her daughter, Kelly (Alexander) of Albuquerque; her sons, James (Cecilia) of Lake Arthur and Matthew (Julie) of Alamogordo; nine grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Loretta’s memory to Catholic Charities or St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.

May Loretta rest in the peace of the faith she cherished so deeply, and may the love she gave so generously continue to live on in all who knew her.

Well done, good and faithful servant.