Zak T. Palmer

Zak Taylor Palmer was born July 10, 2001 in Winner, SD to Bruce and Julie (Moody) Palmer. He passed away June 22, 2020 at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. When he was born, two brothers, Justin and Ty, eagerly welcomed Zak home to show him some "brotherly" love. Zak was pretty sure the year he was born was the only year that we took time off as his birthdays were always spent in the hayfield maybe getting the meal of his choice late that night. Zak grew up in the Burton, NE area on the family ranch. Zak's best days were spent working alongside his Dad and brothers, riding his horse and working with cattle.
Zak went to school at KPCS and learned more than what his teachers really thought he learned. Zak's classmates, teachers, and administration worked tirelessly keeping Zak on track in the classroom and not just dishing out harassment and sarcasm. At the same time many of Zak's friends and classmates learned that although blunt, he did have some words of wisdom.
Zak enjoyed football, loved wrestling and endured track. Zak knew the game of football inside and out. He used his quickness, strength and wit/spunk on the wrestling mat. Zak accomplished 100 wins in wrestling his junior year and was realizing he had a chance at 150 wins his senior year. He was looking forward to working towards that goal. Track was for staying in shape and "paying" his Dad for a horse that he liked to ride and didn't want to come up with the cash for. His athleticism was used mostly in the 4x8 relay and the triple jump. Zak's sophomore year he was on the champion 4x8 relay team, his junior year he stepped out of the 4x8 relay to put all his effort into the triple jump in which he jumped a 44.75 and placed 3rd. We will always remember Zak telling us he heard someone say "watch the short guy, he has good form" while competing at State Track that year. He was at least a head shorter than all the guys he was competing against. Zak had lettered in all three sports the three years he participated and was looking forward to lettering in the three sports for the fourth year, which was a goal he had already set for his senior year. Zak's family thoroughly enjoyed his sporting endeavors.
Zak liked his guns and knew which ones he wanted in his arsenal. He had one remaining gun that he wanted in his collection. He mentioned that to a friend while he was in the hospital in Sioux Falls. Unknown to Zak, that friend got a group of some of Zak's friends together and purchased that gun for him. Around Zak's birthday he received a picture of the gun and all those involved sent him a message. The next time Zak was home for a break, his friends gave him the gun and you should've seen the smile it put on his face.
Zak told one of the doctors recently that he was homesick. While in the hospital he missed seeing his cows, riding his horse, being alone out in the pasture, being with friends, hunting and fishing, showing up at the house with a friend or two or a cousin and hinting they were hungry.
Other things Zak enjoyed were listening to Adventure in Odyssey, old country music, steak, prime rib, French fries, dinner rolls, malts, strawberry pie, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup/chocolate pie. He was a United States citizen through and through. He liked being in a room at the hospital where he could see the U.S. flag flying outside his window. He was a Trump 2020 supporter and he treasured his Nebraska flag given to him by a cousin that Coach Scott Frost signed personally for Zak while visiting him in Minneapolis. Zak was a Ford man and especially liked the older models, 1979 and 1997 were two of his favorites.
Also while in the hospital Zak always wanted to know where his Bible and phone were at. He was working on reading through the Bible while in the hospital, which helped him grow in his faith and he used his phone to stay in touch, encourage and harass family and way more friends than his family knew he had. When April rolled around Zak kept his phone and calving book handy. He kept track of his calves that were born as his Dad and brother would text and let him know which of his cows had calved.
The last weekend Zak was home he was supposed to be restricted in what he could do. He enjoyed the Springview Cruise Night honoring the Class of 2020 with his classmates. With or without COVID, Zak should've been wearing a mask, his mother just prayed a little more. Dad and Mom found out a few weeks after being home that Zak had taken a horse ride. Animals were to be off limits at that time. We were assured he just touched the saddle and wore gloves to handle the reins. As things turned out Dad and Mom were happy to know Zak had rode his horse.
Zak believed in living life to the fullest and you would often hear him say "If you are not living life on the edge, you are taking up too much space."
Zak is survived by his parents, Bruce and Julie (Moody) Palmer; his brothers, Justin and special friend Kaylee Harvey, Ty and Chloe (Andrews) Palmer; his grandparents, Vernon and Anita (Cargill) Moody, Scotia, NE, Denny and Betty (Hebard) Palmer, Springview, NE. Uncles, aunts and cousins: Greg and Caren (Gillett) Moody, North Loup, NE, Jordan, Brittany and Grayson Moody, Brad and Ashley Feik and Jerrod Moody, Gary and Shauna (Kramer) Moody, Grant, Bailey, Brooklyn, Bryndal and Grady of Aurora, NE; Matt and Jodi Widman, Climbing Hill, IA, Derek and special friend Maddie Pieper, Drew, Dustin, Gracia and Genna Widman; Brian and Jill Munger, Springview, Ethan, Kylin, Colton, Keely, Kortney and Shane Munger; Matt and Jaci Swanson, Ainsworth, NE, Caden, Corbin, Cole, Cuyver and Cassidy Swanson; Breck and Kris (Palmer) Tuttle, Ogallala, NE, Preston and Alex, Grace Tuttle and family, Ian and Kayla Tuttle and family and Jared and Kaitlyn Hemberger and family; Steve and Shawna (Palmer) Matthews, Rachel and JT, Spencer, NE along with many extended families and a bunch of adopted uncles and aunts! He was preceded in death by his great-grandparents and a baby cousin, Garrison Moody.

Memorial Services were held Thursday, July 2, 2020 at the North Central Knights’ Football Field in Springview with Pastor Tim Wyrick officiating. Music selections were played by Kenley & The Udders. The eulogy was read by Travis Schauda. Honorary Bearers were: Zak’s cousins, the Class of 2020, the North Central Knight Football, Wrestling & Track teams, the North Central Knight fans, the Prayer Warrior Team, hunting buddies and a host of adopted aunts & uncles. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been suggested to the family in Zak’s name for future designation. Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth was in charge of arrangements