Barbara Palmer, 66, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, at Mary Washington Hospital. She had courageously battled lung cancer for the past several years.
Professor Palmer, born in Pittsburgh, Pa., was always fiercely independent and confident in her abilities. She was a professor of English and department chair at Chatham College in Pennsylvania and then was appointed to the post of dean of faculty at the University of Mary Washington.
After retirement, she was affiliated with Mary Baldwin College as a scholar in residence and founded REED-USA at Mary Baldwin College.
For many years, professor Palmer was an influential member of the executive board of the prestigious international humanities research project Records of Early English Drama, based at the University of Toronto. She was co-editor, with her husband, John M. Wasson, of two major collections in the REED series: the dramatic records of Derbyshire and Yorkshire West Riding. These collections will be completed in accordance with professor Palmer's wishes and will be her legacy to the world of literary and performance studies.
Professor Palmer belonged to the Shakespeare Association of America and the Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society. She was published widely in distinguished academic journals: Shakespeare Quarterly, Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England, Research Opportunities in Renaissance Drama, and Early Theatre.
Professor Palmer will be missed by her husband, John Wasson, and many friends, who admired her courage, tenacity and strength. Based on her wishes, there will not be a funeral or a memorial.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made toward endowment of a prize for best new essay in early drama studies in her honor: the Barbara D. Palmer Award. Checks can be made payable to the University of Toronto, and can be mailed to A.F. Johnston, REED, 150 Charles St. W. No. 118, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1K9, Canada.