Darvin Bert Appel's Obituary
Appel, Darvin Bert, born September 9, 1939 in Higgins, Texas passed away December 13, 2014 in Irving, Texas. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lori l. Appel, is parents Bert and Dorothy Appel, brother-in-law, Jerry Allen. Survived by his sister, Diana Allen, his daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Michael Hill; daughter, Cindy Burleson; daughter, Tammy Appel and her fiance, Jonathon Pearson; and his grandchildren, Julio Polanco, Jared Burleson, Lydia Burleson and Christian Hill. The grandchild of German immigrants from Russia, Darvin Appel was reared on a farm in rural Shattuck, Oklahoma. Darvin was the first man of the Appel family to graduate high school in America. As a child instilled with great love for his country, Darvin joined the Air Force after high school. While Dad was working, as a Lutheran Brotherhoood Insurance agent, he was sent to Wichita Falls, Texas to a certain Kindergarten teacher to see about convincing her to keep her insurance policy. This was his beloved Lori, who was getting ready for a PTA meeting and asked if he could come back-another time. Dad saw his opportunity and asked if he could take her for dinner on Saturday to discuss her policy, for Mom, she thought “free meal” as she was only eating one a meal day because of her finances, and hence why she was going to cancel her policy. For Darvin, it was love at first sight, and immediately after meeting Lori, Darvin traveled home to Oklahoma to tell his mother that he had met his future wife. Darvin, an aircraft mechanic who worked on B-52 bombers during his military service just prior to the Vietnam War, had a lifelong mechanical bent. He was an accomplished shade-tree mechanic, had a great love for automobiles, as he also worked as an auto mechanic’s apprentice prior to joining the Air Force, and restored a 1968 Ford Custom in 1995. Working variety jobs from selling insurance, accounting, restaurant manager, to conflict resolution, Darvin was a dedicated worker who did his best to provide for his wife and 3 daughters despite the Recession of the 1980’s and many personal setbacks. Already devastated by his father’s terminal cancer and his mother’s life-threatening heart by-pass surgery, Darvin suffered the hardest blow of his life in 1984. Hit by a drunk driver, Darvin nearly lost his life in a horrific car accident. He spent forty days in Saint Paul Hospital and forty more days at Texas Rehabilitation Hospital. Forced to learn how to walk with a cane and to function with a fused elbow, Darvin learned how to adapt to life for the next 30 years– like when he got honey on his left index finger because of the fused elbow he couldn’t lick the honey off. Darvin was a proud and loving father to his three daughters. Darvin was a man of quiet and steadfast faith. Darvin served as an elder at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, and more recently as a greeter at Gateway Church. Despite constant health complications from the car accident and also diabetes, Darvin stayed cheerful and optimistic until his last days. Even in the unexpected loss of his wife of almost 45 years, Darvin knew the Hope of Heaven. His daughters and other family members also know the Hope of Heaven, where they know they will be reunited with Darvin. Darvin’s favorite Bible verse was John 3:16, “For God so loved the World that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The prayer of his daughters and family is that anyone who reads this obituary will know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 20 at Gateway Church. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75243 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
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