Wilmer L. Gale

Wilmer Lee Gale, age 93, of Astoria, Illinois, passed away on June 15, 2026. He was born on November 24, 1932, in a partially log-cabin house west of Astoria that he later helped build, to Mylo and Wanda (Prather) Gale.

Wilmer dearly loved his family and is survived by his trophy wife, Linda Westlake Gale, with whom he shared 63 years of marriage. They were married on March 19, 1963, in Pocahontas, Arkansas. He is also survived by two children - one wonderful and one so-so - Lori Lee (Tim) Wendt and Robert “Snap” Preston Gale ; his grandson, Dylan “Little Snap” (Madison) Gale; two great-grandsons, Hawthorne “Hawk” Meilike and Finnegan Gale; and his great-granddaughter, Adalai Goins. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews; too many to mention, and some of whom may not want the notoriety.

Wilmer was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Bette (Ghlee) Calhoun; and his granddaughter, Sarah “Bug” Meilike.

Wilmer was hardworking, lived a colorful life, and possessed a great sense of humor. He enjoyed shooting guns, fishing, cutting wood, and riding Harleys. He also had a soft spot for animals, until he didn’t.

He landed his first job at age 13, helping out in an auto repair shop, and later went to work at Curly’s Auto Repair. He spent many years at Skiles Fertilizer before opening his own garage in 1979. Wilmer possessed exceptional mechanical and fabrication skills. Some people claimed he could diagnose a car simply by laying a hand on it.

However, Wilmer was best known for drag racing and making big-block Chevys scream. He built a drag car called True Grit from a 1967 Camaro and became famous throughout the Midwest. He won numerous races and wheelie contests, earning a large and loyal fan base. In 2019, Central Illinois Dragway honored him as Grand Marshal during its 50th Anniversary Celebration, where he made a pass in True Grit at the age of 86.

Wilmer was a hard man to love, but we loved him anyway. . .

Services will be held at 11 am on Friday, June 19, 2026 at Shawgo Memorial Home in Astoria. His children will be present for a visitation at the funeral home from 5 to 7 pm on Thursday, June 18, 2026. A visitation hour will also be held with the entire family present from 10 to 11 am before the service on June 19th. Interment will be in the Astoria Cemetery. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Astoria Volunteer Fire Department, 101 E. State St., Astoria, IL 61501.