Luke H. Palmer, 18, Had Great Enthusiasm for Life

Luke Huntington Palmer of Huntington, Vt., and the Eddy Farm in Chilmark died in a car accident on Nov. 16. He was 18 years old.

Born to Onnie and Andy Palmer and brother Tony on April 23, 1987, Luke was a dynamic presence in the lives of his family and friends and will be terribly missed. Luke lived life with great enthusiasm, big plans, a big heart and a great sense of humor. Whether baking bread, snapping photographs or e-mailing his many friends, Luke's approach to all he did took us places we never knew existed. A recent show of his photographs are only one expression of his keen eye. He cooked and baked wonderful food on his own from an age when most kids would not be allowed near the stove. He most recently was working on a hearthstone oven on Martha's Vineyard with plans for a bakery and "really long baguettes." Each of us who knew Luke knows something exciting and unexpected about what we foolishly thought was mundane or boring. No one will ever forget Mrs. Harris, darling.

Luke is survived by his parents, Onnie and Andy Palmer of Huntington, Vt.; his brother, Tony Palmer of Chilmark; his grandparents, Bill and Betty (Eddy) Lidgerwood of Chilmark and Melissa Palmer of Slingerlands, N.Y.; his aunts and uncles, David Palmer of Albany, N.Y., Laurie Palmer and Debbie Gould of Chicago, Ill., Frank and Sarah Slingerland of Glenmont, N.Y., Erick McCandies of Altamount, N.Y., Trina McCandles of Groton, Conn., Lisa and Peter White of Tunbridge, Vt., Susie Eddy of Chilmark, Bill Eddy and Eileen Walsh of Waquoit, Carolyn Eddy of Vineyard Haven and Bruce Andrews of Burlington, Vt.; his cousins, Dinah and Marcella Andrews, Liza Eddy and her husband, Tim Schaub, Sam Eddy, Nettie Vanderhoop, Beach White, Erika and Emily Slingerland, and Patrick and Lizzie Walsh; his godparents, Steve Fischer, Paul Southerland and Corliss McLean Weston; and many, many special friends and animals from Brewster Pierce Memorial School, Camels Hump Middle School, Mount Mansfield Union High School, Burlington Technical Center, Vermont and Martha's Vineyard.

A memorial service for family was held this week in Chilmark. A memorial service for Luke's friends and community will be held in Huntington, Vt., at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Luke's memory to the Huntington Library Building Fund, c/o Colleen Dychton, Library Trustee, 1275 East street, Huntington, Vt. 05462.