Richard "Dick" Burdell Palmer

Richard (Dick) Burdell Palmer, 90, of Tipton, passed away at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, IA on July 2, 2020, from cardiac arrest.
A private family viewing will be on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm at Fry Funeral Home, followed by Masonic Funeral Honors at 5:00 pm.
On Thursday, July 9, 2020, in remembrance of Dick, the public is invited to attend a Visitation from 10:00 am – 11:00 am and a Funeral Service from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm. Both services will be held at Fry Funeral Home, Tipton. Attendees are encouraged to bring the personal level of COVID-19 protection they feel comfortable wearing.  Social distancing between groups that arrive together will be expected. Immediately following the funeral service, there will be a Graveside service with Military Honors at the Tipton Masonic Cemetery. 
In lieu of flowers, family has set up a memorial fund for the ICU nurses at Mercy Hospital Iowa City. Cards and memorials may be sent c/o Mike Palmer to 10415 North Trail Edge Drive, Peoria, IL 61615.
Online condolences may be shared on www.fryfuneralhome.com.
On Sunday, April 13, 1930, in Milwaukee, WI, Dick was born as an only child to William & Ursula Palmer. He went to school in Milwaukee, Tipton, and graduated from Iowa State University in 1952 with an animal husbandry degree. Dick worked his whole life, starting with a paper route in Milwaukee in the 40’s. As a teenager, he worked at the Tipton Greenhouse; then during his college years, he worked his summers at the Northwestern Railroad and washed dishes at Friley Hall at ISU. Dick served in the US Army from 1952-1955 and was stationed in Bamburg, Germany. After his honorably discharge, Dick went to the family farm south of Tipton, where he operated a cow-calf operation.  Dick later went on to work for the USDA Federal Grain Inspection Service; he served on the Gulf shipping operations in Corpus Christi, TX and returned to Iowa, where he served at the Cedar Rapids office until retirement. Dick was a boy scout, a 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge and a member of the Methodist church.
Dick married Shirley Howard in 1952 and together they raised 5 children: Suzie Morrow of Sioux Rapids, IA; Mike (Tammy) Palmer of Peoria, IL; Patsy (Joel) Collinson of Dallas Center, IA ; Pam (Rick) Loring of Iowa City and Richard (Ronnie Burchett) Palmer of Leander, TX. Dick has 9 grandchildren: Mike Morrow, Erik Morrow, Matt Morrow, Kristin (Palmer) Werdell, Scott Palmer, Brian Palmer, Joseph Collinson, Adreanne (Collinson) Perkins and Amber Phelps; 18 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren.
In 2009 Dick married Helen (Horr) Skewes and they enjoyed 11 years of life together; living in Tipton through the summer months and spending their winters on Mustang Island off of Corpus Christi, TX. They traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Caribbean, enjoying numerous cruises.  Dick’s step children are Martha (Bill) Hemminger, Melinda (John) Buckley, Russell (Tedi) Skewes, Rod (Jill) Skewes, and Roberta (Carson) Warrix.
Dick was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Shirley of 54 years; mother and father-in-law, Russell and Nola Howard; and son-in-law, Mike Morrow.

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