Nancy Gene Palm

Nancy Gene Dale Palm passed away at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday, the 15th of February 2011, at the age of 89. She was preceded in death by her husband, the late Dr. William Morrison Palm.

Nancy was born on the 14th of April 1921, in Davidson County, Tennessee. Having lost her father at an early age, Nancy, her mother, and five sisters moved to Nashville, Tennessee. She was a descendant of the five pioneer families who explored Middle Tennessee and established Fort Nashboro, which would later become Nashville. She was designated a member of the First Families of Tennessee. Nancy graduated from West End High School in 1938 and later from Vanderbilt University in 1942. As education was very important to the family, all of the Dale sisters received their education at Vanderbilt.

Nancy met William Morrison Palm in Nashville and they were married at Scarritt College on the 4th of July 1942. After Dr. Palm returned from a tour of duty with the Medical Corps in Europe during World War II, Nancy and Bill moved to Houston, Texas in 1951.

In the early 1950’s, Nancy became active in the Republican Party and was chosen the Harris County Party Chair in 1967. She defeated two male candidates for that office, and she became known as one who assisted in the creation of the modern Texas Republican Party. In 1976, as a member delegate at the Republican National Convention, she received a vote to be Party Nominee for the United States Vice Presidency. She later was selected to serve as a member of the Texas Electoral College Delegation by President George W. Bush for the 2004 election. Nancy remained extremely active in local, state and national politics all the rest of her life.

In addition to her husband, she was also preceded in death by her mother, Mary Thomas Bishop Dale, her father, Dillard Young Dale, and sisters, Mary Elizabeth Dale Spearman (Walter) of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Ruth Kyle Dale Carmichael of Birmingham, Alabama, Dorothy Crittenden Dale Gray (R. McDonald) of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Lillian Rebecca Dale Trabue (W.D.) of Nashville, Tennessee. She is survived by one sister, Katherine Bishop Dale Potts (J. Ivan) of Shelbyville, Tennessee, and numerous nieces and nephews and their children.

Nancy Palm was a tireless champion of self-determination, and individual accomplishment through education and hard work and to that end, she led by example. She loved this country and worked her whole life to make things better for all of its citizens.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from two until five o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday, the 20th of February, in the Library and Grand Foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

All are invited to gather with the family for the graveside service and interment, to be conducted at noon on Monday, the 21st of February, at Memorial Oaks Cemetery, 13001 Katy Freeway in Houston. A uniformed steward from Geo. H. Lewis & Sons will be positioned at the cemetery's entrance, so as to guide guests to the interment site.

The memorial service is to follow at four o’clock that afternoon in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, where Pastor Bill Streger is to officiate.

Immediately following the service, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the adjacent Grand Foyer.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Nancy’s name be directed to the charity of one’s choice.