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Dan Palen co-founded Palen Music Center in 1963. Photo courtesy PALENMUSIC.COM
Dan Palen co-founded Palen Music Center in 1963.

Photo courtesy PALENMUSIC.COM

Palen Music Center co-founder dies at 76

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Dan Palen, co-founder of Palen Music Center, died March 30. He was 76.

Palen started the company with his brother, Bill, in 1963 after the two purchased a small sheet music store called Will James Music. The Palens renamed the store Palen Music Center and began selling and servicing band and orchestra instruments. Dan Palen also had taught music at Parkview High School and Missouri State University. Palen retired in 1996, leaving the operations of the store in the hands of his sons, Brett, Danny and Brad, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

The company, which now operates stores in Springfield, Columbia, Joplin, Liberty and Broken Arrow, Okla., offers a variety of instruments and provides lessons and repairs. Its school service area stretches throughout Missouri and into Oklahoma and Arkansas, according to PalenMusic.com.

Palen's visitation was held April 1 at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, followed by a funeral service yesterday at King's Way United Methodist Church.

Palen is survived by his wife Sue; his brother Bill; his sons, Brett, Danny and Brad; his daughters-in-law, Shelly, Lisa and Cindy; and several grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father William Palen and mother Mary Palen, as well as his daughter Susan Elizabeth Palen, according to his obituary.[[In-content Ad]]

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