William E. “Bill” Palmer, 89, of Emmaus, died Nov. 5, 2023, in his home. He was the husband of the late Gail Palmer for 41 years and the late Yvette Palmer. He was born in San Jose, Calif., and the family moved back to New Jersey where he was raised in Woodbridge Township.

He was a 1955 graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N.J., with an engineering degree and graduated cum laude. In 1960 he completed three years of night school, earning a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Stevens, majoring in heat transfer. That same year he became a licensed professional engineer in the State of New Jersey.

He holds four patents relating to heat exchangers and has written, delivered and published articles about automated material handling systems and steam surface condenser operation.

He was employed by The Ingersoll-Rand Company for 22 years, holding various engineering and management positions. From 1984 to 1996, he was the chief operating officer of McGinley Mills.

He served on the corporate team of United Way and the Easton Hospital Advisory Board for three years. From 1982 to 1993, he served as a director on the board of Valley Federal Savings & Loan.

In 1995 he joined the Easton Rotary Club, beginning volunteer work that became his third great passion in life. In 1996, he retired from working for anybody else.

He and his second wife were active in the Allentown West Rotary Club and in the Rotary district. They held Rotary district and zone positions right through his year as governor in 2010-2011. Both he and his wife served on the faculty of the Rotary Leadership Institute and facilitated training meetings over a 10-year period.

In 2000, he and his wife formed a small business consulting LLC called “CFO & Stuff.” In 2009, CFO & Stuff, LLC received the entrepreneurial advocate award by Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

He is survived by two sons and four grandchildren.

Contributions may be made to ShelterBox at www.shelterboxusa.org.

A Celebration of Life service will be held 11 a.m. Nov. 11 in the Stephens Funeral Home, Inc., 274 N. Krocks Road, Allentown. Friends and family may call 10 to 11 a.m. Nov. 11 in the funeral home.