Kerry Darwin Gale, age 66 of West Des Moines, IA, peacefully passed away on July 22, 2021 surrounded by family members. Kerry was born to Darwin and Carol Gale in Tacoma, Washington on October 18, 1954 while Darwin was serving in the United States Army. Kerry spent his childhood in Sparks, Nevada and then Provo, Utah. His childhood in the western United States shaped his love for wild west books and movies, guns, knives, and hiking in the mountains. His dream was to climb Mt. Everest. He was an avid Boy Scout and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Kerry also had an affinity for the German language and was a multiple time top scorer in statewide German exams for high school students.
After graduating from Provo High School he spent two years serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Helsinki, Finland where he fell in love with the Finnish people and culture. Upon his arrival home he studied at Brigham Young University and was employed as a Finnish instructor at the Church’s Missionary Training Center. There he met and fell in love with a German instructor from Berlin, Germany named Karin Franke. They were married on April 23, 1977 in the Salt Lake City Temple. Over the course of their marriage they traveled frequently to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland where he was known to frequent pastry shops and occasionally annoy other customers by buying one of everything. At Brigham Young University he majored in psychology and minored in German before earning an MBA. His work in insurance and financial management took him and his family to Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Iowa. He spent the final years of his career at Graceland University as a business professor.
Kerry was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a Pathway missionary, temple ordinance worker, stake Sunday School president, Young Mens’ advisor, High Priest group leader, high counselor, and ward organist. He is best known, however, for his devoted service as a hometeacher.
Kerry is survived by his wife, Karin Franke; his children, Benjamin Gale (Misti), Joseph Gale, Rachel Wright (Kirk); his four grandchildren, Ethan Gale, Joshua Gale, Kaisa Tolman, and Rex Tolman; his mother, Carol Tullis Gale; and his siblings, Karen Murray (Scott), Paula Swenson (Blair), and Mark Gale (Leslie).
His services will be held on Monday, August 2, 2021 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 3301 Ashworth Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50265. There will be a viewing at 10:00 am until 10:30 am, and the funeral services will commence at 11:00 am. He will be buried at Resthaven Cemetery in West Des Moines.
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