DOTHAN. . .Carolyn Whitehead Palmer, a resident of Dothan, passed away Tuesday afternoon, December 23, 2025, in Oakview Manor Health Care Center in Ozark. She was born August 8, 1940 to James Edward Whitehead and Alvenia Goodman Whitehead.
Graveside services will be held at 1:00 P. M. Friday, January 2, 2026, in the Balkum Cemetery, 1153 County Road 55, Headland, Alabama, with Dr. Jerry Grandstaff officiating. The family will receive friends following the graveside services. Holman-Headland Mortuary & Cremations is in charge of arrangements.
Carolyn Palmer was born and raised in Dothan and attended Dothan City Schools. She received her BA Degree from Howard College (Samford University) in English Literature. Ms. Palmer taught in middle school for Birmingham public schools for three years.
Ms. Palmer and her family lived in Birmingham, AL, Columbia, SC, and Memphis, TN. She travelled to Europe several times and into Israel and Jordan.
She was preceded in death by a son, Martin David Palmer, her maternal grandparents, Greene and Ida Goodman and her paternal grandparents, Caroline Virginia Whitehead and James Whit Balkum, all from the Henry County farming communities.
Surviving relatives include a daughter, Claire Palmer Kirkpatrick, a son, Ian Whitehead Palmer, a brother, Louis Whitehead, all of Dothan; and cousins, Wayne Skeen and Arthur Segars.
HOLMAN-HEADLAND MORTUARY & CREMATIONS IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS. Phone 334-693-3371. You may sign a guest register at www.holmanmortuaries.com. This establishment does not own a crematory.
