Barbara D. Palmer

Barbara (Colle) Palmer, of Matunuck and formerly of East Greenwich, passed away on February 7, 2025, at 93.  She was married for 67 years to Gardner H. Palmer, who passed in November 2020.  Born in Providence, she was the only child of Sgt. Leo A. Colle (RISP) and Martha (Brown) Colle.  She graduated from Aldrich High School and Katherine Gibbs Secretarial School and, before her marriage, worked as a legal secretary for Edwards and Angell.  While raising her family, she returned to work as a secretary at East Greenwich Junior High School (now Cole Junior High) until 1986 and continued to work as a secretary for the Trumbull, CT school system where she and her husband lived until they retired to Matunuck.

She was the mother of and is survived by Susan C. Mistretta (Michael) of Warwick, RI; Gardner H. (Chip) Palmer, Jr. (Carol) of Exeter, RI; David S. Palmer (Susan) of East Greenwich, RI; and Melissa P. Buonaiuto (Paul) of Matunuck, RI.  She adored her eleven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren: Stephanie Mistretta Medeiros (Chris Medeiros) and their daughters Kiley Medeiros and Parker Rose; Sara  Mistretta, her partner, Rich Bianco, and their daughter Sophie Lee; Kristen Mistretta; Grace Palmer (Samuel Lovett); Samuel Palmer; Brendan Palmer (Kim) and their children, Jacob, Luke, and William; Gregory Palmer (Michaela) and their children, Joseph and Nicholas; Kyle Palmer; Matthew Buonaiuto (Jen) and their children, Benjamin and Gustin; David Buonaiuto (Haley) and their daughter, Sofia; and Emily Buonaiuto.

The family is so grateful to have had Mom, Grandma, and Great Grandma in their lives throughout such a full life.  She was a woman of independence with an indomitable spirit.  She faced life and her impending death with undaunted courage, humility, and self-effacing humor.  She has been an inspiration to us all.

At her request, her funeral and burial will be private.