Rita Dallas D'Alessandro Palmer

1924 - 2013

Rita Dallas Palmer died peacefully with her family at her side in Rancho Mirage, Calif. on July 5, 2013 after a very brief illness. Rita was born in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada on Sept 1, 1924 to Joseph and Laura Perciante Dallas (D'Alessandro). Rita graduated from Port Arthur Collegiate and became an Executive Secretary with the Port Arthur shipyards. Rita's love and expertise of dance, music and ice skating led her to audition for Ice Follies in 1944. At that time Ice Capades and Ice Follies had created a joint show called Ice Cycles and Rita was asked to join Ice Cycles as Principal Skater and line captain. She met her husband Richard H. Palmer who was then Stage Manager and Lighting Director of Ice Cycles. They were married on April 10, 1947 in Rochester Minnesota during a break in the show. Rita and Dick travelled full time with the Ice Cycles which later became an additional company of Ice Capades, throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia the Middle East and Russia. Rita and Dick had two children, Dianne and Pattie who travelled with them. Rita was an amazing woman. It was nothing for her to rehearse the show all day, make corrections to the current show at night and then after the show, teach the skaters next year's show. She did all of this while raising two children on the road. They travelled all over the world and Rita was respected and known wherever she went. When she retired from her full time position as Associate Producer and Choreographer of Ice Capades, she continued as consultant to Ice Capades and often to Holiday on Ice and Ice Follies. Rita also worked on several Ice Capades movies and television specials. She was the skating director for the movie Snow White and the Three Stooges and worked as a consultant on other projects having to do with Ice Skating. Rita loved throwing parties for her friends and co-workers at their home in Encino, Calif. Rita had a great sense of humor and was always the life of the party. She had a beautiful mischievous smile and mind to go along with it. After their retirement, Rita and Dick spent time in Palm Desert, Calif., where Rita enjoyed tennis and was an avid golfer. They split their time between Palm Desert and Balboa Island, Calif. where she enjoyed their boat and amazing her friends with her ability to captain their craft, and entertaining friends and family on the weekends. She loved to paint, was a beautiful and talented artist and has shown her work in several art shows. She was a gourmet cook and it was nothing for her to whip up a splendid dinner party at the last minute when she would get a call that Dick was bringing a group of people home for dinner. Rita continued her dancing late into her 80s by joining a tap dance group and continued to play golf until her death. She most enjoyed summer visits by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who stole her heart. She cherished her longstanding friendships with people that she had known and stayed in contact with for over 60 years and could name most anyone that worked with her by their first name. Rita was preceded in death by her husband Richard H. Palmer, her parents, Joseph and Laura Dallas (D'Alessandro), and her brother Ernie Dallas (D'Alessandro). She is survived by her children Rita Dianne Walker, Patricia Joanne (Robert) Mackie. Grandchildren Matthew (Jennifer) Walker, Michael (Nikki) Walker, Melissa Mackie. Great-Grandchildren Austin Walker, Amaya Hays, Zaylee Augusta and several nieces and their families. She touched the lives of everyone she met and she will be greatly missed.

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