John Robert Appel

John Robert Appel, 83, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away in his home on Sunday, October 6, in Waco, Texas. He had been treated for bursitis, which was later diagnosed as sarcoma. John was surrounded by his loving family and the love of his life for 60 years, Mary Ellen, during his final moments.

A Mass of Celebration will be held at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at St. Louis Catholic Church.

John was the proud father of Mike (Meg) of Austin, Texas, and Eric (Heather) of Frisco, Texas. He cherished time spent boating and fishing with his family, especially on their 1976 houseboat, where weekends were filled with friends of all ages. As a grandfather, "Papa" was ever-present at baseball, soccer, football, and basketball games, as well as cheer competitions, for his grandchildren: Ericksen (15), Ellie (9), Zac (8), and Ben (5). His grandchildren absolutely adored him for his silly sense of humor, and he instilled in them the values of being honorable, loving, and always striving to reach their full potential. John’s presence will also be missed by his brother, James Appel and wife, Gini of East Dubuque, Illinois.

John was a graduate of the University of Iowa, where he was a proud member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. It was there he met Mary Ellen, and they married in 1964. They first settled in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where John worked for Collins Radio, before moving to Dubuque to run his father’s dry-cleaning business. After selling the business, John embarked on a new journey in franchise sales, beginning with SMI, a company he started after purchasing cassette tapes in a suitcase. This led to a move to Waco, Texas, where he sold franchises for Paul Meyer and later built a successful career with companies like the Dwyer Group, Honkamp, P.C., Profiles International, and Boulder Designs.

In his later years, John enjoyed volunteering with St. Louis Reicher Catholic School in Planning and Development, and he cherished his Monday night poker games with close friends.

John's greatest passion was helping people develop their full potential. He loved God, his family, and his friends with all his heart.

The family would like to express their deep gratitude to Harbor Hospice and the caregivers at The Grandson for their care and support during John’s final days.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to St. Louis Reicher Catholic School.

The family invites you to leave a message or memory on John’s “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.