Vianna Lee Appel

July 4, 1932 to November 17, 2025

Vianna Lee Appel (nee Dodson) was born on July 4, 1932 in Blythe, California, daughter of David Clark Dodson and Hazel Alice Dodson (nee Sachs). She died peacefully in her sleep on November 17, 2025 in San Jacinto, CA at the age of 93.

She grew up during the Great Depression, wearing hand-me-down clothing made of discarded flower sacks, forgoing shoes (“shoes were for rich people”) and enjoying the rare treat of a sugary dessert.

Vianna married her high school sweetheart, Wayne Frederick Appel, on August 5, 1950 in Las Vegas, Nevada, a month before he was deployed to serve in the Korean War. They lived in bit in Oregon, but mostly California: early years in San Dimas and San Luis Obispo, raised their three daughters in Huntington Beach, and lived the remainder of their lives after Wayne’s retirement in San Jacinto. They were separated by Wayne’s death on August 3, 2025, just two days shy of their 75th wedding anniversary.

She worked in elementary and high school cafeterias in the early-to-mid 1960’s and then at Golden West College as the manager for their teachers’ lounge, where she was in charge of planning and putting on their luncheons, dinners and special events until approximately 1970. One of the few women of her era to work outside of the home, Vianna did this all the while making a loving home for her husband and three daughters.

She and Wayne traveled via camping trailer all over the western United States on the quest to find the best fishing and hunting spots. Her favorite destinations were Twin Lakes, CA and Alaska. She enjoyed gardening and could identify any flower, plant or tree by sight (by both the common name and genus classification). She was a self-taught painter and won numerous awards for her oil paintings at the annual Orange County Fair. She also liked to work with charcoals and watercolors. She was also talented at crocheting, knitting and sewing. When her daughters were young, she would make all of their dresses for the school week: that worked out to a minimum of 15 dresses annually so that each girl would have five days’ worth of school outfits! Her greatest joy was hosting huge family dinners for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter and her 4th of July birthday.

Vianna is survived by 3 daughters, Linda, Mary and Evelyn (Joanne), six grandchildren; Danny, Erin, Michael, Laura, Matthew and John; 10 great-grandchildren: Ashtyn, Rylee, Mikaila, Aryanna, Gracelyn, Hunter, Jackson, Skylor, Elise and Celia; and 5 great-great-grandchildren: Ava, Elisa, Spencer, Jackson and Oliver.

Vianna was preceded in death by the love of her life, her husband Wayne F. Appel, her parents, brother Gerald E. Dodson, Darrell J. Dodson and Raymond Dodson and her beloved sister Barbara J. Bray (nee Dodson). She was the last of both her and Wayne’s generations.

A memorial service will take place at Miller-Jones Mortuary & Crematory, 1501 W Florida Ave, Hemet, CA 92543, on December 10, 2025, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.