Cynthia A. Palmer

Cynthia Ann Palmer, (Cindy), 73, of Dauphin Island, Alabama, formerly of Little Falls, NY, passed away peacefully in the comfort and care of the wonderful nurses and staff at the Siegenthaler Center (Hospice) in New Hartford, NY on July 19, 2025, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

Cindy was born to Ruport and Marian (Glowatcky) Palmer.  She is survived by her brother Robert and sister-in-law Gale Palmer, her niece Jillian, and her nephew Alexander. Cindy remained close with her Uncle Howard Glowatcky and family in Indiana, as well as her dear friends Eric and Lisa Olsen (and their dog, Rocky), Patrick Kellogg, Irina Shablinksy, Norman Canfield, Paula and Nealy Parker, Connie Roan, Andrew Bodnar, and many others.

Cindy graduated valedictorian of her class in 1970 from Little Falls High School. She then pursued her passion for science (Chemistry) across the country and world. From California, she made her way back to New York to Syracuse University to complete her PhD. Following her degree, she worked as a post doc at Novartis on the mass spectrometric team. She continued her groundbreaking career doing research for several pharmaceutical companies, including Schering Plough and Pfizer, over many years. She also obtained her pilots and motorcycle licenses and was a certified scuba diver.

Just for fun, she got her Commercial Driver's License so she could drive the FDA's mobile lab vehicle. This adventure led her in part, to the FDA on Dauphin Island, where she worked on the seafood analysis team tasked with measuring pollutants in seafood after the Gulf oil spill. While she may have gone for science, she surely stayed because of the loving community she was connected with on the island and neighboring communities.

If there was anything she wanted to do or see she would try her best, including attending NASCAR races and meeting the drivers. Her passion for knowledge never stopped including reading every possible book, newspaper and magazine that she possibly could. She transitioned to online research as time went on, although upon her passing she still was in possession of over 500 books!

Cindy loved adventurous vacations to far off places. She kayaked in Papua New Guinea and Iceland. She also hiked in Yemen and the Himalayas. In Yemen, the guide let her shoot his machine gun into the desert. On September 11, 2001, she was in the Himalayas and when they closed the border and grounded aircraft, she had to take a multi-day train ride through China to Beijing to fly home.  

Cindy enjoyed making others happy, baseball(!), no other than the New York Yankees, preserving nature, philanthropy, and caring for animals (as she was also a long-term vegetarian). Some volunteerism of hers included two hospice centers, the turtle rescue team on Dauphin Island, and Stella Maris (AL), the Catholic Maritime Ministry.  

A Master Gardener, she volunteered at Bellingrath Gardens and the Philadelphia Garden show. In Alabama she planted flowers and maintained gardens in front of a local church. This is also where Cindy strengthened her Catholic beliefs and embraced the faith among those at St. Ignatius, and more.

She was also a true friend, helping with an ill child. An aunt, making the best imaginable life for her niece and nephew, exposing them to a world they would have otherwise not experienced. A loving sister and sister- in-law to an ever-grateful little brother and his wife. While her physical presence will be missed by all that knew her, her kindness and love will be forever impactful on anyone who had the pleasure to meet her. We send her love as she moves on to her next great adventure.

Cindy will be buried alongside her parents in the Prospect Hill Cemetery in Gloversville, NY. There are no calling hours, and a private graveside service will be held at the family's convenience.  Arrangements are under the caring guidance of the locally owned and family operated, Vincent A. Enea Funeral Service (next to the Masonic Lodge), 20 Bridge St., St.Johnsville, NY.

For those that want to remember Cindy in a special way please consider donating to Hospice & Palliative Care, 4277 Middle Settlement Rd., New Hartford, NY, 13413 or “Share the Beach” https://www.joinacf.org/donate Alabama Coastal Foundation, PO Box 1073, Mobile, AL 36633, or a charity of one’s choice. 

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