James Robert Appel

James (Jim) Robert Appel, faithful husband, father and friend died suddenly November 19, 2014, at the age of 94. James was born as an only child to Clarence (Happy) Appel and Ruth P. Phillips and was a lifelong resident of St Louis. In 1942 he graduated from the University of Illinois with a BA in City Planning, where he was a collegiate swimmer. He enlisted in 1943, achieving the rank of Sargent in the U.S. Army serving the ETO during WWII, and was discharged honorably. He married Mary Frances Humphrey June, 1946 who predeceased him in 1993. He married Gertrude Krimmel English, April, 1995. She predeceased him in 2013.

Daughters: Frances Ruth (Cricket) Appel and Susan Appel Waechter (John).

Grandaughters: He was predeceased by his first grand daughter, in 1982, Anne Appel Waechter. Surviving grand daughters are: Rev. Lucy Appel Waechter Webb (Daniel) and Elizabeth (Tess) Susan Waechter Smith (Brent). He joyfully met his new great grand daughter, Gillian Ruth Waechter Webb, just the week before he died.

He was also predeceased by a large community of life-long friends in St. Louis. He loved ballroom dancing, tennis, and learned to downhill ski at the age of 50. He was an avid, life-long Cardinals fan.

Jim’s 60-year real estate appraisal career began at the Roy Wenzlick Company. Later he worked for the Real Estate Research Corporation where he became president in 1972. In 1982 he started his own local real estate appraisal company, Real Estate Analysts Limited (R.E.A.L.), which continues business today. He retired in 2005 at the age of 85.

He was a devoted husband and father, loved by his own family and many others for his gentle, forgiving spirit. He will be remembered for his dry sense of humor. He embraced his second wife, Trudy’s, extended family and Cricket and Sue thank those of her family that so faithfully cared for and loved him which allowed him to remain in his own home.

Funeral services 1:00 PM, Tuesday, November 25, at Gerber Chapel, 23 W. Lockwood, Webster Groves, where the family will receive friends, Tuesday from 11:00 AM until service time. Interment at Oak Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to ACT Uganda at www.actuganda.org or a charity of your choice.