Kate Wishman

After a long battle with many ailments, Kate Ann Wishman passed away peacefully surrounded by her closest friends and family on May 7, 2023. Kate was 40 years old, and was taken from us tragically far too soon.

Kate was born in Des Moines on July 31, 1982, to Del and Sharon Palmer. She lived in Des Moines her entire life, and touched the lives of everyone she met. Kate's greatest gift was her ability to connect and have empathy for any living creature, from humans to the smallest turtle. There was not a single time she saw an abandoned or stray animal and didn't try and find its owner, and if failing to do so, adopt them as her own babies. Animals too were drawn to her, and knew she was a source of comfort and peace for them.

Kate's skilled trade was in nursing. While she worked at many jobs prior to her becoming a nurse, caregiving was deep in her soul. Soon after she went back to college for nursing, Kate came down with a very rare immune disorder, which prevented her from being able to practice nursing in a formal way. However, right up until her last days, she was caregiving to others, even while she was struggling herself. She was always as selfless of a person as you could imagine, and would drop everything at the first sign that a friend or family member needed help in any way.

Most of all though, the career she cared about the most was that of being a mother and wife. She married the love of her life, Charles Wishman, on May 6, 2006, at Living History Farms. Her family meant everything to her, especially her children, Isaac and Ivy. She was most happy and joyful when spending time, in whatever capacity she could or was able to. She was a devoted and loving wife, and was proud of her family's accomplishments and provided the support to everyone around her that they needed to succeed. She always put others first, even when she needed to put herself first. She always reminded her children Isaac and Ivy of how proud she was of them, and reminded her husband Charles daily how much what he did made a difference in people's lives and provided him the strength to always move forward no matter how hard things were.

To that end, her caring for others also extended to fighting for justice for everyday Iowans. It was not uncommon for Kate, even while suffering in pain, to be on a picket line with striking workers, speaking out against various injustices in this world, and standing up for those who needed an advocate in whatever capacity she could. She loved doing this not just because her father, mother, brother, grandfather, and husband were union members, but because she knew that fighting for a better world was something that was important and that was in her soul.

Because of that devotion her extended family truly was the labor movement in the state of Iowa, and the United States. Appropriately, Kate's visitation and celebration of life will be held at her father's union hall, LiUNA Local 177, at 3400 East Euclid Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50317. Visitation will be held from 5 PM to 7 PM on Thursday, May 11th, and a celebration of her life will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, May 12th. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Animal Rescue League.

Kate is survived by her husband Charles, two children Isaac and Ivy, her parents Delbert and Sharon Palmer, her mother and father in law Amanda and Jim Ragan, as well as Tom and Deborah Wishman, her brother Ross Palmer and his wife Mahogany Palmer, her sister Shaelynn Palmer and partner Phil Tavegia. She is also survived by her sister in law Edith Blanchard and her husband Joe, her brother in law Mark Wishman and his wife Hannah, sister in law Ellie Wishman, step brothers Damon Marvin and Dane Mychal, and her sister from another mother, Lauren Shields. She will be missed greatly by her nieces and nephews Caylea Stumbo, Mercedies Hof, Zen Palmer, Alex Palmer, Amanda Blanchard, and William Blanchard, and great niece Anna and great nephew Peter

She was preceded in death by her Grandparents Mille and Barney Holmes, Harry and Retha Palmer, her nephew Hunter Palmer, and her aunt Brenda Sherrard. She was also preceded in death by her very closest friends, her pets, Brooke, Cherry, Harold, Garth, Kerrister, Carebear, Bismarck, and so many more to count.

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