Gary A. Appel

Visitation for Gary A. Appel, 68, of Hoskins, will be from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, December 4, 2021, at the Home for Funerals Chapel, 708 Georgia Avenue. A Celebration of Life will take place in the future. Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.

Gary died at Faith Regional Health Services on November 30, 2021, surrounded by his family.

Gary was born on July 28, 1953, in Fremont, NE, the son of Elmer and Letha (Bernstrauch) Appel. He lived in Fort Calhoun, NE, until he was five when he moved with his aunt and uncle to a farm near Randolph. Later, they moved to a farm near Hoskins.  He attended Randolph High School and Winside High School, where he graduated in 1971.

On June 30, 1972, Gary married Darlene Larsen in West Point, NE. To this union, four daughters were born.

Gary entered into the workforce after graduating working at Midwest Beef, Richmond Willhoy Construction and then Nucor Steel, where he worked for 33 years until his first retirement in 2005. He stayed retired for about 6 months before he went to work at Norfolk Iron & Metal as a truck driver. Then he worked for Charter Steel in Cleveland, OH, before he became a traveling maintenance consultant for American Axel in WI, NE, AL and SC. He finished his career in Hastings, NE, at Floserve, retiring in September of 2019. Gary took great pride in his work and received many achievements and awards over the years.

Gary was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend to many.  He enjoyed being outside tinkering with small engines and working on the many projects he had going.  He loved going on road trips to buy new projects and never sold anything, it all became part of his collection. He was the one who had a solution to everything, he knew how to fix anything and had the best advice.

He loved spending time with his grandkids and you could be sure to see him at their activities cheering them on.

Gary was the truest cowboy you will ever meet. You’d never see him without a denim shirt, blue jeans, boots and his hat. He loved collecting guns, watching old westerns and riding horses.

Gary is survived by his wife of 49 years, Darlene; their four daughters and their spouses: Becky (Erich) Deitenbeck, of St. Charles, IA, Belinda (Juan) Martinez, of Norfolk, Buffy (Damon) Shrauner, of Sioux City, IA, Kelly (Larry) Schutt, of Hoskins; his grandchildren: Jazmin (Shay) and Johnny (Bailey) Martinez, Gavin, Hadleigh and Aftyn Schutt, Benjamin and Caroline Deitenbeck and Evan Shrauner; great grandchildren: Brynn and Randall Kirby and one due in February; sister: Karen (Gene) Vincent, of MO; brothers: Roger (Marilyn) Appel, of Cuenca, Ecuador, Butch (Pat) Appel of Omaha, NE; sister-in-law: Patty Appel, of Fort Calhoun, NE; many nieces, nephews and countless friends

Preceding him in death are his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, two brothers, Sam Appel and Doug Appel and three nephews: Patrick, Jason and Joseph.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gary A. Appel, please visit our floral store.