Donna R. Palmer of Lyons, Nebraska passed away Thursday, April 25, 2024, at Wisner Care Center in Wisner, Nebraska. Funeral Service will be held Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 11:00 am at Memorial United Methodist Church in Lyons, NE. Visitation will be Monday, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Pelan Funeral Services Lyons. Burial at the Lyons Cemetery. Memorials suggested to Memorial United Methodist Church – Lyons, NE. Pelan Funeral Services of Lyons is assisting the family with arrangements.
Donna Rae Palmer was born May 12, 1932, to Willard and Eleanor (Redding) Christensen in Lyons, Nebraska. She was called home on April 25, 2024, to stand by God and greet everyone with a hug.
Donna was raised in Lyons and graduated from Lyons High School. She attended Wayne State College where she received her teaching certificate.
On December 27, 1950, she married Harold, her high school sweetheart at Memorial United Methodist Church in Lyons. Donna was a lifetime member of Memorial United Methodist Church.
They moved to Fremont, NE where their daughter, Darla Rae Palmer (George) was born in 1951. Harold took a job with Northwestern Bell and they moved to Papillion, NE where their son, Duane Willard joined the family in 1958.
Donna was a stay-at-home mom for several years. She started working at the Clarkson Bank, then the Pinnacle Bank where she became Head Cashier.
Harold and Donna lived in Papillion until 1980 when they moved back to rural Lyons. Donna took a “Part-time” job with First Northeast bank. Between working here for 25 years and the other banks, Donna had over 45 years in the banking business.
Donna was a huge Husker Fan and could tell you more about the team than most people could. She also knew more about football plays then most men. She only missed 3 games in over 50 years of going to the games. She could not wait for football Saturdays with Bill and Bert Palmer. They would drive in from North Platte and spend the weekend.
Donna loved to work and meet people. She was known as the hugging lady around Lyons and Wisner. It did not matter who you were, if you meet Donna, you were going to get a hug. Donna was very active in church functions, delivering meals on wheels, going to the senior center to play cards, and getting her hair done every Friday at Linda’s Shear Impressions. She loved to go to Ralston to see her best friend, Jane. They would go shopping and see how many different places they could eat at in one weekend.
In her spare time, Donna loved to knit and cross stich. She could make anything from a sweater, a baby blanket to a dish rag. Most people in Lyons and Wisner loved her dish rags. She was always giving them away.
Donna loved to get together with family and friends. Harold and Donna loved to get together with the Sears, Kalals, Haffkes and many others just to laugh and talk. Donna’s most precious things were her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved to go and watch them in all the different sports they were active in.
Donna is proceeded in death by her husband, Harold; her parents; mother-in-law, Viola Palmer; daughter, Darla Rae; son-in-law, Bill Gorge; grandson-in-law, Mike Jenkins; sister, Darleen Olsen.
Donna is survived by her son, Duane (Karen) of Wisner; grandchildren: Lesley (George) Jenkins and her children Ian and Ella, Emily (Steven) Kumm and their children Kaden and Kane, Drew (Deanna) Palmer and their daughter Delanie, Melissa (George) Oltrogge; sister-in-law/brother-in-law, Lauretta & Chris Dixon of Columbus; and several nieces and nephews.
