Leo C. Palma, 59,
of Rome, died Saturday, March 5, 2011 at
Rome Memorial Hospital. He was born in Rome,
N.Y. on September 19, 1951, son of the late,
Carl "Carp" and Anna DiCerbo Palma. Leo
graduated from Rome Free Academy, Class of
1970, and the served with the U.S. Army from
1973-75. On August 18, 1979, he married
Julie Merchant. Leo was an employee of the
Air Force Research Laboratory at Rome. He
was a member of St. John the Baptist Church
and former member of the Toccolana Club and
St. Gregory Club.
Surviving besides his wife, Julie,
are three daughters and a son-in-law, Nicole
Palma, Rome, Julie Palma and fiance Mitchell
Shaw, Oswego, Elizabeth and Jarred Cornwell,
Middleville; a sister, Trude Palma, St.
Louis, Mo.; three brothers and
sisters-in-law, Louie and Sue Palma,
Fairmont, W.Va., Joe and Jo-Ann Palma,
Fairport, N.Y., Carl and Michelle Palma,
DePere, Wisc.; his mother-in-law, Theresa
Merchant, Rome. Also surviving are
sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Sue
Buchanan, Fairfield, Calif., Jim and Lucy
Merchant, Rome, Patricia and James Staple,
Chittenango, David and Cindy Merchant, Sam
Merchant, Theresa and Ron Adsit, all of
Rome; and several aunts, uncles, nieces,
nephews, great nieces, great nephews and
cousins. He was predeceased by his parents
and a brother, John Palma.
Funeral services will be held on
Wednesday at 9:15 a.m. from the Nicholas J.
Bush Funeral Home, Inc., 218 W. Court St.,
and at St. John the Baptist Church at 10:00
a.m. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home on
Tuesday from 4-7 p.m. Memorial contributions
may be made to St. John the Baptist Church
Memorial Fund in Leo’s memory.
