Helen Faye Shutt (Palmer)

Helen Faye Shutt was born in Sherwin Junction, Kan., to Charles W. Shutt and Georgianna Phillips Shutt on Feb. 2, 1919. Less than one month short of her 104th birthday, she went to her long-awaited home, Heaven, at Moore-Few Care Center, Nevada, Mo. She was one of six children.

They lived mostly on farms and attended country schools. She graduated from the 8th grade in the Cherokee County Schools. Besides helping on the farm, she loved to cook, and later went to Columbus, Kan., to work helping a woman with housework and the children. She later moved to Independence, Mo., where she went to work cooking in a restaurant. It was there that she met Paul Downs Palmer and they were married on Nov. 29, 1941. To this union, were born three children: Paul Douglas, Charles Samuel, and Virginia Lee.

Her husband was drafted into World War II and served for three years in Southeast Asia and India. Following the war, the family moved to the Kansas City area where they both worked and the children attended Grandview schools.

In 1959, the family bought a farm on the Cedar/Vernon County line, and all three children graduated from El Dorado Springs High School. The family was active in the Schell City Christian Church, and later the Pape Christian Church, and served as leaders in 4-H. Faye worked as a waitress and cook for many years at the Spring House and Cedar Inn restaurants. She was known to always be busy — sewing, quilting, and crocheting. After retirement, they moved to El Dorado Springs.

They were active in the American Legion, and Faye received a plaque for her many years of active participation in the American Legion Auxiliary. She was a member of Roscoe Christian and faithfully attended as long as her health allowed.

Her husband passed away after 63 years of marriage on Jan. 20, 2005. She was also preceded in death by two brothers; two sisters; and her son, Charles Samuel, on Nov. 30, 2020, at the age of 72, in Rawlins, Wyo. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War and served in the Navy on the aircraft carrier, Coral Sea. She was also preceded in death by her son-in-law, Ralph Huegel, Tonkawa, Okla.

She is survived by her oldest son, Paul Douglas and his wife, Dorothy, Schell City, Mo.; her daughter, Virginia Lee Huegel, Tonkawa, Okla.; a daughter-in-law, Cheryl Palmer, Rawlins, Wyo.; five grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren; one brother, William C. Shutt of Belton, Mo.; and special nieces and nephews, many friends, and other relatives.

After a fall and broken shoulder, just three months short of her 99th birthday, she resided at Moore-Few Care Center, Nevada, Mo., where she amazed people on how active she was at 103. She attended every activity, did jigsaw puzzles, read books, participated in crafts and played noodle ball, dominoes, bingo or whatever other activity was going on.

Services will be held at Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home, EI Dorado Springs, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, with family visitation beginning at 1 p.m., and the service at 2 p.m.

Burial will follow at Green Lawn Cemetery, Schell City, Mo.

In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to Roscoe Christian Church or Moore-Few Care Center Activity Fund in care of the funeral home.