Delores Cooper Palmer

Delores Cooper Palmer passed away Saturday, June 4, at the age of 90.

Born in South Dakota, Delores and her family moved to Burbank in 1937. She and her sister attended Glendale City College and graduated from UCLA in 1942. During the war, she worked at Lockheed as a “Lead Man” in the manufacturing of the P-38 aircraft. She completed her Master’s Degree in education in 1953 at the University of Utah.

Delores worked for the Burbank Unified School District for 35 years, first as an elementary and secondary teacher, then as an administrator. She held the positions of district Curriculum Coordinator, Director of Elementary Education and Director of Secondary Education. She was promoted to Assistant Superintendent in 1974, a position she held until her retirement in 1984. She was the first woman to hold this position.

Not resting on her laurels after retirement, she joined the Saint Joseph Hospital Guild. She and Gordon, her husband of 61 years, were active volunteers with the hospital for many years. She also became a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

She is survived by two daughters and two granddaughters. The Rosary will be 6:30 Thursday, June 9 at the Valley Funeral Home, 2121 W. Burbank Bl., Burbank, CA (818) 845-3766.

Funeral mass and internment will be 12 noon Friday June 10, at the San Fernando Mission Chapel, 15151 San Fernando Mission Blvd., Mission Hills, CA (818) 361-0186.