CLAREMONT, NH — Arthur Porter Palmer, 95, of Claremont, N.H., passed at the St. Petersburg (FL) General Hospital early on November 18, 2019, of congestive heart failure.

Arthur is survived by his wife of 61 years, Lorraine, sons Michael Bourgoine, Dustin Bourgoine and Andrew Palmer, and daughter Adele Palmer King (his oldest son Brian Bourgoine had passed due to complications due to Parkinson’s disease in 2017). Also surviving Arthur are twelve grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. Of his four siblings, one remains, Dorothy Palmer Gravesen of Largo, Florida.

Arthur was born in Manchester, N.H. on July 30, 1924. At 16 he moved to Claremont, N.H. to start work at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Plant in Windsor, Vt. He remained a proud citizen of Claremont for the rest of his life.

At 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on October 20, 1942. He became a signalman on the USS Savannah, seeing battles in North Africa, Sicily and the invasion of Salerno. On September 11, 1943 the Savannah was hit by a large armor piercing radio-controlled bomb, killing 206 of Palmer’s shipmates. Palmer was transferred to the USS Alaska, the first of its kind battle cruiser, and headed to the Pacific. He fought in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and saw the planes carrying the first atom bomb to Hiroshima. Returning to Boston at the end of WWII, Palmer was the first man off the ship.

Back in Claremont and working at Goodyear, Palmer became active in the United Rubber Workers Local 284 Over time he was Goodyear Retirees President for 23 years, ran the Union Seniors Program for 19 years, and was a member of the Vermont Executive AFL-CIO Board.

Arthur was also a proud, active member of the Democratic Party in N.H. and Vt. He was Claremont Democratic Chairman (1 term), Sullivan County Democratic Chairman (2 terms) and was appointed by Governor Sununu to the N.H. State Electricians Board as the consumer rep. (15 years). He was also a member of the Claremont Senior Citizens Executive Board.

Arthur was a founding member of the Junior Sports League in Claremont where he worked for 27 years, the last five as chairman. While there, he helped start the Little League and Babe Ruth programs in Claremont, where he also coached the Cubs for 12 years.

Arthur was very proud to say that for 70 years he was a certified official for basketball, baseball, softball, football and/or soccer in NH, VT, ME and Florida, where he umpired softball until he was 87 years old. Thus, he was never charged for anything at the concession stands in Pinellas or Sullivan Counties ever again.

On July 30, 1979, Arthur turned 55 years old.

The next day at a meeting of the United Rubber Workers Local 284, Arthur seconded the motion allowing member to retire after 30 years or at the age of 55. The motion passed.

The next day, August 1, 1979, Arthur walked into work, gave his notice and began 40 years of retirement, two years longer than he worked in the plant.