Clair Ray Palmer

We are saddened to announce the passing of our husband, father, grandpa, and brother, Clair Ray Palmer, who passed away on September 10, 2026, due to head injuries sustained in a biking accident.

Born in Rigby, Idaho on August 5, 1945 in the closing days of World War II, to Ray and Enid Palmer, Clair built a life full of family, service, work, hobbies, story-telling, and plenty of humor.

While attending BYU, he dated, fell in love, and married his best friend, Ilene Fielding. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple in August 1967.

His military service included time in Ft. Benning, GA, Fort Lewis, WA, Vietnam, and many years in the Utah Air National Guard, where he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Clair earned his Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern California College of Optometry, then settled in American Fork, where he owned his own practice before finishing his career at the Moran Eye Center.

He was never short on interests. He enjoyed RZR-riding, woodworking, time with his "Pickleball Therapy" group, long rides on his electric bike, beating Dean, Dennis, and Larry at pool and ping-pong, endless reading, American history, and spending time with family at Cannon Beach. Friends and family knew Clair for his quick jokes, squeaky-clean cars, patriotism, storytelling, and homemade gadgets around his workshop. Every tool had its place.

His grandchildren knew him as the storyteller behind magical Pink Airplanes, Cecil the Dragon, and other wildly creative stories that have already been passed along to the next generation. He was our own Dr. Seuss.

If you knew Clair, you knew how proud he was of his family. He is survived by his wife Ilene; his children, Kim (Mike) Bradshaw, Jeff (Courtney) Palmer, Sunny (Mike) Winter, and Melissa (Mike) Pace (Yes - three sons-in-law named Mike!); 14 favorite grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; his brother Garen Palmer and sister Marilyn Richardson.

More than anything, Clair will be remembered for enjoying his beautiful life, loving his family, staying curious, and making sure things never got too serious for too long.

A Celebration of Life will be held at The Rooftop located at 139 Hunter's Grove Lane in Lehi, Utah. Receiving and telling funny and meaningful stories about Clair will be from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., with a Celebration of Life starting at 11:00. Clair will be laid to rest in the American Fork Cemetery.