Helen Palma, 91, of Bridgewater

Funeral Services: Will be held on Friday, April 12, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at the Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle with burial in the Greenfield Cemetery.  Pastor John Greenlee will officiate the service.  A luncheon will be held at the Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle following the burial.  The Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle is in charge of the professional arrangements.   Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com. 

Open Visitation:  Will be held at the Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle on Thursday, April 11, 2024, 2023, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Family Visitation:  The family will greet friends on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at the Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Memorials:  To the Helen Palma Memorial Fund to be established by the family at a later date.

 Helen Irene Palma was born on December 2, 1932, the daughter of Elmer and Myrtle (Schrader) Carl of Bridgewater, Iowa.  She passed away on Sunday, April 7, 2024, at the Greenfield Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Greenfield, Iowa, at the age of 91.

Helen was born and raised on the family farm south of Bridgewater and attended country school.  She graduated from Bridgewater High School in 1951 as valedictorian.  On September 28, 1958, she was united in marriage to Lawrence Palma at the Christian Church in Bridgewater.  To this union five children were born: Bob, Sharon, Rita, Diane and Julie.

Faith and family were important to Helen.  She enjoyed sending cards and handwritten notes over the years for birthdays and other special occasions.  She was a wonderful cook, and custard pie was one of her specialties.  Helen enjoyed crocheting, embroidery, gardening, dancing (square, polka, and waltzes), word search puzzles, and playing cards.

Helen worked at banks in Bridgewater and Atlantic, helped at Doris’ Department Store, and stayed home to raise her family and help on the farm.  She was a very active member of the Carl United Methodist Church and UMW, and the Williamson Legion Auxiliary.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lawrence in 2007; infant daughter, Rita; in-laws, William and Laura Palma; sisters, Marie Pool, Opal Long, Doris Carl; brothers-in-law, Vergil Pool, Al Long and Harold Palma; and sisters-in-law, Frances Hughes and Alice Palma.

She is survived by her children, Bob Palma of Austin Texas, Sharon Koehler of Winterset, Diane Faris and husband Dave of Des Moines and Julie Chappell and husband Matt of Van Meter; ten grandchildren, Jessica Liebas (Raymond), Regina Valdez (Joe), Jennifer Stimpson (Jamey), Anna Mae Allyn (Keith), Leah Knobloch, Zachary Koehler (Ashley), Tyler Faris, Tessa Faris, Conner Chappell and Reece Chappell; twelve great grandchildren, Anthony Liebas, Noah Liebas, Christina Liebas, Lily Valdez, Paisley Valdez, Laura Stimpson, Samantha Allyn, Cody Allyn, William Allyn, Laney Knobloch, Briley Knobloch, Owen Knobloch; two great great grandchildren, Hakeem Stimpson and Rylan Allyn; other nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.