Lawrence James Palma

Lawrence James Palma, age 74, of Kincheloe, Michigan, died Wednesday, January 24, 2018, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. He was born February 4, 1943, in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, to Alfred James and Mary Marie (Wetzel) Palma. Larry grew up in St. Clair Shores where he loved to fish even as a child. He graduated from South Lake High School in St. Clair Shores. Immediately after high school, he served in the United States Air Force and lived in Cedarville, Michigan, while stationed at Kincheloe Air Force Base. When Kincheloe Air Force Base was to be closed, he left the military and worked for Elgie Pollard Construction of Cedarville. Larry went to work for the management company at Kincheloe as Housing Supervisor repurposing base housing for civilian use. He served as Kinross Township Building Inspector, on the Kinross Township Board, as the Kinross Township Supervisor, on the Board of the Economic Development Corporation, and he spearheaded the development of the Kinross Recreation Center. Larry’s love of fishing continued throughout his life. He also enjoyed hunting and archery. His mother made him take dance lessons and though he protested at the time, as an adult, he loved to dance and danced often. She also required he write with perfect penmanship. Larry was very good with numbers and could complete complicated math problems in his head. He did woodworking and was able to fix pretty much anything. Larry never sat still. He was always helping people with projects, one of those projects being the stone gates at Kincheloe Golf Course. Larry is survived by his wife, Debra Louise (Sims) Palma, whom he married on March 27. 1982; daughter, Rhonda (Mike) Brown of Kincheloe; sons, John (Sonja Killips) Garcia of Bay Mills, Michigan, and Eric Garcia of Raleigh, North Carolina; grandchildren, Brant (Leah) Brown, Brittany (Andrew) Jaroche, and Scottie Garcia; great grandchild, Kinsley; and former wife, Carolyn Brosman. He is also survived by sister-in-law, Linda (Ron) Hudson of Cedarville; and brothers-in-law, Steve (Janet) Sims of Buckeye, Arizona, Gilbert (Trudy) Sims of Moreno Valley, California, and Ritchie (Gloria) Sims of Hemet, California. Larry was preceded in death by his parents, and brother, Steven Michael Palma. Services will be held Monday, January 29, at R. Galer Funeral Home, 24549 S. M-129 in Pickford, Michigan. Visitation will be held from 2:00 P.M. until 4:00 P.M. followed by the funeral service beginning at 4:00 P.M. Interment will be in Kinross Township Lakeview Cemetery. Memorial contributions Kinross Recreation Center, c/o Kinross Township, 4884 W. Curtis Street, Kincheloe, MI 49788.

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Lawrence James Palma

February 4, 1943 - January 24, 2018