Gayle Palmer

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Gayle Palmer, 90, of West Des Moines, Iowa, on November 4, 2025. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines. Visitation will begin at 10:00 with a funeral service following at 11:00. A luncheon will be provided following the service at the church.
Gayle was born was on May 1, 1935, in Irvine, Kentucky to Alma (Embs) Palmer and John Thomas Palmer. Gayle grew up in Irvine and later moved with his family to St. Claire Shores, Michigan where he graduated high school. Gayle attended William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he received his bachelor's degree in teaching. While at William Penn, Gayle participated in baseball, basketball, football and track and in 1995, he was inducted into the William Penn Athletics Hall of Fame.
Gayle married Carol (Walker) Palmer of Oskaloosa immediately upon graduation and they moved to Tripoli, Iowa, where he began his career as a high school math teacher. After two years Gayle and Carol moved to nearby Renwick, Iowa where he continued to teach high school math and began his coaching career at Boone Valley High. In 1965, the couple moved to Urbandale where Gayle continued to teach high school math and where he also coached multiple high school sports. In 1998, Gayle was recognized as the Iowa High School Track Coach of the year by the IHSAA. He taught and coached at Urbandale High for 28 years at which time he retired and started the next phase of his career.
With encouragement from Carol, the couple purchased Palmer's Dairy Sweet in Johnston. Together they owned, operated and grew that business. After eleven years, they sold the ice cream business which allowed them to focus full time on another business they had started a couple years prior, Palmer's Deli and Market. Gayle and Carol operated Palmer's Deli in Urbandale for several years and retired in 1995. Gayle took pride in his beautiful lawns and gardens and throughout his life he enjoyed fishing, golfing and Hawkeye sports!
Gayle lived in Urbandale and West Des Moines more than 60 years. Throughout those years Gayle touched the lives of his students, student athletes, fellow teachers and coaches, customers and employees. He was a gentle, kind, humble man and a devoted husband and father.
Gayle is survived by Carol, his wife of 67 years; children, Scot, Joe (Margaret); grandchildren, Claire Zellmer (Addison), Ross, Grant, Max and Ben and three great grandchildren, Maren, Rowan and Sage. Gayle was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Rondal and John II.
Memorials of choice are welcome or to Golf House Iowa, 8050 Golf House Drive, Norwalk, Iowa 50211. Online condolences are welcome at www.IlesCares.com.
Arrangements by Iles Westover Chapel.
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