Darrell L. Palmer

Former Bainbridge Island resident Darrell L. “The Apple Man” Palmer died Aug. 9 at the age of 72 in Cottage Grove, Ore., where he lived for nine years.

He was born June 17, 1933, to Donald M. and Gertrude E. Palmer in Cottage Grove.

He lived in Redmond, Ore., during the 1940s and graduated from Redmond High School, then earned a bachelor’s degree in forestry from Oregon State University in 1955.

He married Ellie Webber on June 25, 1954, in Grants Pass, Ore. The couple moved to Bainbridge Island in 1965 and lived there until 1996.

He was the CEO of the Wyckoff Co. in Washington and Oregon for 30 years, and then was a forestry consultant for three years before retiring to Cottage Grove in 1996. There, he became an orchardist and developed Quail Creek Orchard, a renowned state-of-the-art apple orchard.

He was an avid outdoorsman and especially enjoyed traveling, camping, fly-fishing and researching the history of Oregon. He enjoyed people and “never met a stranger.”

In Oregon, he founded Cottage Grove Growers Market and was an active member of the Eugene Farmer’s Market, where he became fondly known as “The Apple Man.” He was a member of the Bainbridge Island Rotary Club for 25 years and a member of the Society of American Foresters.

He is survived by his wife, Ellie Palmer, of Cottage Grove; daughter, Sherrie Palmer of Seabeck; son, Jeffrey Palmer, his wife, Nancy and family of Bremerton; and adopted granddaughters Shelby Stepper and McKenzie Stepper of Cottage Grove.

A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. Aug. 18 in Riverside Community Church in Cottage Grove.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2350 Oakmont Way, Suite 200, Eugene, OR 97401.

Arrangements are by Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel and Crematorium of Cottage Grove, Ore.