George Palmer

OELWEIN – George Palmer, 88, of Oelwein, died Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Buchanan County Health Center in Independence.
Funeral services are Monday, Aug. 12, 10:30 a.m., at Zion Lutheran Church in Oelwein.
Visitation is Sunday, Aug. 11, from 3 to 7 p.m., at Geilenfeld Funeral Home in Oelwein.
He was born Sept. 8, 1924, near Hawkeye in rural Fayette County, the son of Jacob and Katherina Munster Palmer. He was baptized Sept. 4, 1926, at Hawkeye and confirmed April 2, 1939, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawkeye. After graduation from West Union High School, he then joined Montgomery Ward and became department manager in Oelwein. Later he volunteered for the Army Paratroopers and fought in several battles in New Guinea, Philippines, and on to Japan and was one of the first 280 men there and was awarded several battle citations. After returning to Oelwein, he married Dolores Crowley and was blessed with three sons and two daughters and later divorced. He owned and operated "Palmer Realty" for 27 years and was often known as the "Land Man." He was a long-time member of the American Legion, V.F.W., Lions Club, board member of the Oelwein Chamber of Commerce and other civic affairs. His main hobbies were hunting, fishing, traveling, meeting and making new friends. After retiring and moving to Fort Madison, he was united in marriage with Diana Mead on Dec. 10, 1982, and they built several homes while there. They later moved to Branson, Mo. Having built several homes in Branson, and having lived there several years, they moved to Florida. Diana passed away after a short illness July 10, 2002, and George moved back to Oelwein to be with friends and family. He was married Oct. 14, 2005, to Verla Meyer. They lived in Oelwein until making their home in Lake Placid, Fla. They moved back to Oelwein in 2010. He will be missed by many people.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Volney, Willis and Kenny; two sisters, Mary Ann Lohr and Katherine Bohart.
He is survived by his wife, Verla Palmer of Oelwein; three sons, Dick Palmer (Joy) of CA, Jim Palmer of CA, Patrick Palmer (Nousta) of FL, and two daughters, Jane Palmer (Bill Wente) of Waterloo, and Penny (David) Chase of Tennessee; stepchildren, Connie (Tom) Hamilton, Littleton, Deb Meyer and Kathy (Tim) Jelinek, Oelwein, and Dan (Michelle) Meyer, Lokato, Minn; grandchildren, Sheree Olson, Waterloo, Tiffany Olson, Waterloo, and Sole Rachele, Fl.; step grandchildren, Alison Langel, Cedar Rapids, Tara (Jeremiah) Fink, Sumner, Lauren (Brock) Niebuhr, Jared Meyer, Wisconsin, Tyler Meyer, St. Cloud, Minn., Sam Fuller, Oelwein; two great-grandsons Isaiah Olson and Reece Olson, Waterloo; and step-great grandchild, Cole Reznechek, Pineland, Texas.