Lou Palmer, Indy 500 announcer, dies
Palmer was a reporter and anchor on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network from 1958 to 1989, serving as chief announcer for the race in 1988 and 1989. He was an announcer on the CART radio network in the mid-1990s before retiring about 10 years ago.
He was born Louis A. Perunko Jr. in Wheeling, W.Va., on July 26, 1932, and was raised in Syracuse, N.Y., said his son, Al Perunko.
He came to Indiana in 1953 and two yeas later joined WIBC, using the name Palmer on the air. He was the afternoon news anchor there until the late 1980s.
Ray Rice, a former WIBC and WISH (Channel 8) reporter, worked with Palmer at the radio station in 1979.
"He was a wonderful person," Rice said. "He had a mind like a whip. He could ad lib probably better than anybody I had ever seen."
Palmer's son recalled a mischievous side to his dad, who would come to his school once every May before the Indianapolis 500 and tell teachers that Al was ill. Then the two would head for the IMS to watch practice.
His first wife, Cal, died in 1997, and Palmer married his high school sweetheart, Beverly Porter, his son said. Survivors include his wife, son and daughter, Laura Scott, Indianapolis.
Palmer, who lived in Camby, suffered a brain hemorrhage at home Jan. 15. He died Saturday night at St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove.
Visitation will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Camby Community Church, 8604 Camby Road. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m. Indy Star