Barbara Palmer left an enduring legacy in Calgary and the School of Public Policy
Jim and Barbara Palmer were integral to the launch of the School of Public Policy in 2011 and left a legacy of supporting efforts to make Canada a better, more compassionate and prosperous country for the good of all Canadians.
Barbara Palmer died on Jan. 31 at age 96. She was well known as a dedicated advocate for community and arts organizations in Calgary and had an impact on the School since its launch in 2009 through the funding of the James S. and Barbara A. Palmer Chair in Public Policy. Jim Palmer died in 2013.
“Barbara has left an enduring legacy from her decades-long commitment to supporting the arts and community organizations in Calgary that should inspire us all. She helped make Calgary the vibrant, caring city it is today,” said Martha Hall Findlay, Director, School of Public Policy, and the current James S. and Barbara A. Palmer Chair in Public Policy. “Jim and Barbara Palmer were great Canadians. One of the greatest honours of my career is to be the chair of a research endowment that bears their names because they were such a remarkable team.”
Two of Palmer’s daughters, Sarah Palmer and Valerie Seaman, are current members of the Advisory Council for the School of Public Policy.