Palma Gabler

Palma (Pam) Dorothy Gabler, age 93, went home to her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Marshfield, Wisconsin. She was born on October 2, 1930, to Herbert Wilson and Gladys (Phillips) Gabler at home in the Township of Highland, Iowa County, Wisconsin. Palma graduated from Dodgeville High School in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, in 1947, at age 16. Being too young to go to medical school, she went to a business school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After graduating, Palma worked as a doctor’s secretary in Milwaukee for several years. She also worked for an attorney for some time before moving to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where she was the private secretary for the head of Western Technical College for many years. After retiring, she moved to Marshfield, WI, where she spent the rest of her life.

Palma was talented in many ways. Over the years, she lovingly knitted Christmas stockings for all her nieces & nephews, great-nieces & -nephews, and friends. Her whole family meant the world to her, as evidenced by her enthusiastic presence during holidays and other celebrations with her siblings and extended family. Palma also prioritized attending family reunions with her cousins in the summers. She thoughtfully kept a special written correspondence with numerous family and friends over the decades.

Palma was an independent, smart, classy, and generous woman. She supported the arts as a longtime volunteer for the La Crosse Community Theatre; in her retirement years, she enjoyed taking relatives to see plays and she proudly attended the musical performances of family members. Palma was very informed about world news, as an avid daily reader of multiple newspapers, and she enjoyed completing the New York Times crossword puzzles. She was also a skilled baker, regularly baking and donating desserts for families visiting Marshfield’s Hope Lodge and the palliative care unit in the hospital. In her spare time, she enjoyed engaging in good conversations with others, spoiling her cats, tending to her plants, and knitting prayer shawls for church and washing clothes for everyone.

She loved to travel and took many trips with her mother, siblings, friends, her nieces and nephews, and later their families. Palma was very caring and gave abundantly, intentionally investing her time, talents, and encouragement into others’ lives. This included giving annual Christmas ornaments for family members’ collections; learning to quilt with family to complete graduation quilts for Yvonne’s grandchildren; tutoring young relatives; always bringing overflowing plates of cookies, fudge, and Racine Kringle to share at gatherings; and writing cards or phoning family and friends for any occasion.

Palma’s was a life well lived, and we are thankful for her light in our lives.

Palma (Pam) is survived by her sister, Gwen (Ervin) Tomczyk; eleven nieces and nephews; twenty great-nieces and -nephews, and thirty-one great-great nieces and -nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, H. Wilson and Gladys Gabler; her sister and brother-in-law, Yvonne and Dale Heminger; her brother and sister-in-law, Virgil and LuEtta Gabler; three infant siblings: Beth, Junior, and Kathleen; and a special niece, Cindy Greunke.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

A very special “thank you” to Steve Greunke, for all the special care given to Palma, especially during the past few months. Special thanks also to niece, Debra Carter from Wyoming, for all the purposeful efforts over the years to make happy times “extra happy” for Palma, such as celebrations for her 90th and 93rd birthdays.

Thank you to the staff at Stoney River Assisted Living and Heartland Hospice for the compassionate care given to Palma.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Marshfield Area Pet Shelter, 3500 Downwind Dr., Marshfield, WI 54449.

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