Dawn "Tuttie" R. (nee McDonald) Palmer

Dawn R. “Tuttie” Palmer of Colgate was born on December 4, 1959 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was called home by our Lord, Jesus Christ on Thursday, October 5th, 2023 at the age of 63 years.  In between, Dawn lived a grace-filled life guided by her strong faith and a life filled with beauty, natural curiosity, and simplicity.   Her whole being radiated her immense love for her husband Greg, and son, Eric.

Dawn received her Holy Sacraments with her Baptism in Milwaukee, and her first Holy Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing at Holy Hill.  

UW-Milwaukee is where Dawn graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. She also met her husband, Greg, while studying at UW-Milwaukee, and they were married on August 13, 1988.  Dawn was an RN first at St. Mary’s Hospital of Milwaukee, and later at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.  It was at St. Mary’s Hospital where she first met the love of her soul, her son, Eric.

Dawn traveled extensively both in the U.S. and abroad with Greg and Eric.  Several recent trips were a trip to Amsterdam to see the tulips in bloom, a Christmas in London, and a trip to Ireland to visit a dear friend. Dawn’s trips to Door County with her sisters were special times.  Yet perhaps Dawn’s favorite trips were in their Airstream to Elkhart Lake where Greg and Eric raced, and to Kohler-Andrae State Park in Sheboygan, where Dawn would savor the quiet, fresh Lake Michigan air, and flora and fauna. 

Easter was Dawn’s favorite holiday, yet she reveled in the Christmas spirit and decorated her home with simple and elegant decorations that were placed around her home with great thought and impeccable style.  Her Christmas dinners and [Christmas cookies] were a culinary delight, works of art and, and delicious. To borrow from her favorite poem, Make the Ordinary Come Alive, by William Martin, Dawn made the ordinary come alive for her family and friends, and let the extraordinary take care of itself.

She knew that the quintessential gift of friendship is the privilege of truly seeing the essence of another human being and walking with that person on a journey through life that is impossible to accomplish alone. Dawn loved to laugh and had a lovely smile; we will miss her gentle spirit; we should all be so fortunate as to follow in her footsteps.

Dawn was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Helen McDonald, and sister, Mary (McDonald) Marynik. She is survived by her by beloved husband, Greg; cherished son Eric.  Further survived by sisters Patricia McDonald (Richard) Nowakowski, and Barbara McDonald; brother-in-law, Edward Marynik; niece Helena Nowakowski (Zach) Trueblood; nephews Ryan (Ashleigh) Nowakowski, Brad Marynik, Brian (Lisa) Marynik, Thomas (Deana) Marynik, and her great nieces and nephews; other cherished family members and dear friends.    

Dawn’s Mass of Resurrection will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 12 2023, at The Basilica at Holy Hill, Chapel of St. Therese located on the second floor at 1525 Carmel Road, Hubertus, Wisconsin.  Visitation will be prior to the service, beginning at 9:30 a.m. until time of mass. A luncheon will be immediately following the service at the at St. Mary of the Hill Parish Center located at 1515 Carmel Road, Hubertus, WI (below Holy Hill).

A private burial service will be at St. Mary of the Hill in Hubertus, Wisconsin.

The family wishes to thank those who cared for her at Froedtert Hospital, and the staff at AngelsGrace Hospice, for providing care and kindness, and walked this last journey with her.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to St. Mary of the Hill Parish, 1515 Carmel Road, Hubertus, WI.  

The Berndt-Ledesma Funeral Home-Hartford is serving the family.

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