Torkel Palmer Attleson

Sunday, April 9, 1922 in a farmhouse in Howard County, Iowa, oldest child of Sjur Gjertinus and

Andrena Matilda (Johnson) Attleson. Since he was born on Palm Sunday, Rena and Sjur named him

Palmer. He was baptized at Crane Creek Lutheran Church. He spent his early years on farms in Chickasaw County, Iowa with his parents, two brothers, James and Richard and four sisters, Signora, Melba, Karen and Paulette. He graduated from New Hampton High School in 1941 and after graduation he moved to Washington DC to work with the Office of Lend- Lease Administration just prior to the US entry into WWII. He joined the Navy in 1942 and worked in Naval Intelligence and later served in the Pacific before attending Officer School at Doane College in Crete NE. He was discharged from the Navy in April 1946. Palmer met Leona Maurine Pierson while both were working in Washington DC. They met at a skating party organized by the Luther League of Augustana Lutheran Church - Washington. After the war, both found employment with the Veterans Administration at the Federal Center in Lakewood, CO, and they were married at Augustana Lutheran Church - Denver on July 5, 1946 by Dr Theodore Lorimer.

Together, they raised three children. Robert Wallace was born in 1948, Gregg Alan was born in 1951 and

Pamela Lee was born in 1956. In 1963 he began work with the IRS, and then in 1973 he started work with the Federal Energy Administration. He retired in 1981 after 40 years of government service. In his retirement he later worked at Augustana as a bookkeeper. He and Leona were committed to Augustana and organizations like Tri-R. Palmer served on Church Council and on Property, Day Care and other

committees and sang in the Chancel and Senior Elite choirs. He was very active in Boy Scout Troop 395

that met at the church. They liked to travel, especially to visit family in Iowa and Nebraska, as well as national parks and special events like the1964 New York World’s Fair. Palmer was proud of his Norwegian heritage always ready to share a joke about Ole and Lena. Leona was diagnosed with MS in 1969. As she gradually lost more and more mobility, Palmer was always willing to support her and care for her until her passing in 2001. Surviving are three children, Robert (Melissa Mengel) Attleson of Strasburg CO, Gregg (Sylvia) Attleson of Gays Mills WI, and Pamela (Brad) Uyemura of Denver CO; four grandchildren, Lucas (Stacy) Attleson of Columbus WI, Ingrid Attleson of Minneapolis MN, Justin (Sarah Shortridge) Uyemura of Denver CO, and Rachel (Isiah Cooper) Uyemura of Aurora CO; two great-grandchildren, Malakai Cooper and Arya Attleson; brother James Attleson of Lindsborg KS; sister-in-law Adriana Attleson of Mason City IA; brother-in-law James Hulne of New Hampton IA, and many nieces and nephews. Palmer was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, his sisters Signora (Joseph) Goss, Melba (Charles) Gilbert, Karen (Lloyd) Fiend and Paulette Trewin (Jim Hulne), and his brother Richard

(Adriana) Attleson. Inurnment will be at Augustana’s columbarium.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerhampdenmortuary.com for the Attleson family.