Forrest Palmer, a reporter who rose through the media industry ranks to become president and publisher of The News-Times in Danbury, passed away on Dec. 20 at the age of 95.
Born in Waterbury in 1924, Palmer enlisted in the U.S. Army while still a senior in high school and served in the 296th Engineer Combat Battalion during the Battle of the Bulge.
He began his journalism career in 1951 as a reporter at the Waterbury Republican-American and joined The News-Times as editor in 1968. He became president of the newspaper in 1980.
From there he was eventually promoted to publisher, a role that serves as the chief executive overseeing everything that goes into the paper. Palmer served as president and publisher for a decade before his retirement in 1990.
Outside of his media work, Palmer was an active member of the Danbury nonprofit community and served as director and chairman of the United Way, president of the Rotary Club and a director of the Hanahoe Children”™s Clinic.
