DR. PATRICIA BOUGHTON PALMER

Dr. Patricia Boughton Palmer, 82, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away following a brief journey with cancer on December 24th, 2015, in St. Augustine, Florida, surrounded by her loving family. Patricia was born on December 30th, 1932, to Spencer and Amy Boughton Palmer, and raised in Kingsport, Tennessee. Patricia was wedded to Dr. Antoine A. Nassar of Beirut, Lebanon, and raised four children in Albion and Brockport, New York. She earned a doctorate degree in counseling from the University of Rochester in addition to degrees from Boston University (MEd.) and Rockford College (B.A.).

For over forty years Patricia worked with people dealing with a life-threatening illness with a focus on cancer. She served on the California-based Simonton Cancer Center as a senior teacher and director of training. In 2012, Patricia co-founded the Hekademos Mind-Body Medicine Foundation (www.hekademos.org) offering programs, counseling, and education in South Africa, the Netherlands, and Tucson; Hekademos teaches tools and techniques to help people access the self-healing powers of nature and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Her prior work included a private psychotherapy practice in Rochester; Acting Director of the Counseling Center SUNY Brockport and Associate Director of its Mature Adult Program; and Founding Director of Orleans County’s (NY) first Headstart Program and Mental Health Association Chapter. Patricia devoted countless years to the volunteer organizations she held most dear, including serving as Board Chair for Habitat for Humanity (Rochester); working in community development for the Peace Corps (Bulgaria); and serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children (Tucson). Patricia’s legacy of loving service endures in the lives of all who were blessed to have known her.

Patricia is survived by her four children, Spencer (Leann) Nassar of Half Moon Bay, CA; Peter (Shannon Leu) Nassar of St. Augustine, FL; David (Jasmin) Palmer of Santa Monica, CA; and Jennifer (Rick) Dohr of Sherman Oaks, CA.; her sister-in-law, Nancy Palmer of Washington, D.C.; seven grandchildren; and six beloved nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Audrey Moore of Falmouth, MA; and her brother, John Palmer of Washington, D.C.

A celebration of Patricia’s life will be held at the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), 931 N. 5th Avenue, Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday, February 13th, 2016, at 3pm.  The service will be streamed worldwide.  For more information please visit her Memorial Website to sign the guest book, share stories and register for the streaming event.  http://www.forevermissed.com/patricia-boughton-palmer

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Hekademos Foundation’s Patricia Palmer Memorial Scholarship Fund so that Patricia’s healing programs will continue to reach those most in need:

Patricia Palmer Memorial Scholarship Fund
http://www.hekademos.org/index.php/hekademos-foundation/palmer-memorial-fund

“May all beings everywhere, with whom we are inseparably interconnected, be fulfilled, awakened, and free. May there be peace in this world and throughout the entire universe, and may we all together complete the spiritual journey.” - Sayings of the Buddha