OBITUARY: Palmer Birkedal, 1919-2005, Mitchell County, Iowa 

Original version posted on www.mcpress.com - June 22, 2005



                             Palmer Birkedal
   
Funeral services for Palmer Birkedal, age 86, of rural Osage, were held
Friday, June 17, 2005, at the Rock Creek Lutheran Church, Cedar Township,
with Rev. R. Dawson Tornes officiating.

Burial was in the Rock Creek Cemetery. Palmer died Monday, June 13, 2005,
at Mitchell County Regional Health Center in Osage, Iowa, of cancer.

Palmer was born May 5, 1919, in Dunn County, North Dakota, the son of Peter
and Sara (Motland) Birkedal. He moved to the Mitchell County area with his
family as a youth. He attended school in Otranto, and graduated from
Plymouth High School. Palmer served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World
War II. He attended St. Olaf College, returning to the family farm, where
he lived until the time of his death.

Palmer was united in marriage to Alice Turner on December 11, 1949, at
Independence, Iowa. He was a long time member of Rock Creek Lutheran
Church. Palmer enjoyed pitching horseshoes and bowling, and bowled a game
of 186 three weeks before his death. He greatly enjoyed his grandchildren,
and following their activities.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Alice Birkedal in 1996;
an infant son David; and a brother-in-law, John Field.

Palmer is survived by a daughter Nina Bates and husband Rev. John Bates of
rural Rudd; four sons, Rev. Paul Birkedal and wife Karen of Viroqua,
Wisconsin; Mark Birkedal and wife Char of Nora Springs; Philip Birkedal and
wife Julie of Mason City, Iowa; and Dr. John Birkedal and wife Mary Lynn of
Lewisville, North Carolina; 13 grandchildren, Matthew and Allison Bates;
Sarah, Rachel, and Nathan Birkedal; Brian, Scott, and Eric Birkedal; Clare
and David Birkedal; Ashley, Shelby, and Ryan Birkedal; two sisters: Marie
Field of San Gabriel, California, and Margaret Luttio and husband Rev.
Philip Luttio of San Pedro, California.

Arrangments were by Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage, Iowa.



                      Copyright 2005, K. L. Kittleson