Palmyra LoMonaco

Palmyra LoMonaco passed away on August

29, 2017 in Claremont, California, where she lived with her husband, Robert Friedman, since 2008. Robert passed away a few months later, on January 9, 2018.

Palmyra was born in 1932 in Chicago. After college, Palmyra taught children of scientists in Los Los Alamos, New Mexico and founded and directed a preschool in Albuquerque. She also worked as an education consultant to both local American Indian tribes and public schools. Palmyra met her husband, Bob, in Albuquerque and several years later, the two moved to Durham, North Carolina, where Palmyra directed the Early Childhood Education Program at Durham Technical Community College. Summers were spent in Lamoine, Maine and traveling. It was during her years in Durham that Palmyra contributed several articles to early childhood journals and wrote several children’s books, including "Night Letters," first published by Dutton Children’s Books and chosen for inclusion by Pearson Education for their third grade Reader.

In addition to her teaching and writing accomplishments, Palmyra constructed papier mache objects, collages and other works of art with which she gifted numerous appreciative friends and relatives. Among these artworks was a "garden goddess" that protected the vegetable garden at the couple’s Maine cabin.

Palmyra is survived by four step children and many step grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her beloved extended Chicagoarea family.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Durham Technical Community College Foundation, 1637 Lawson Street, Durham, NC 27703, indicating that the contribution is for student scholarships in the Early Childhood Education Program in memory of Palmyra LoMonaco.