Loren K. Apfel

Funeral services for Loren K. Apfel, age 89, of Norfolk, Nebraska will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at Christ Lutheran Church in Norfolk. Reverend Michael Moreno will officiate.

Interment will be in Prospect Hill Cemetery in Norfolk with military honors conducted by the Army National Guard Honor Guard, American Legion Post 16, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1644.

Visitation will be Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Home for Funerals Chapel, 708 Georgia Avenue, in Norfolk. 

Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.

Loren passed away Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk.

Loren Keith Apfel was born April 25, 1935, in Tilden, Nebraska to Leonard and Marguerite (Boschult) Apfel. Loren enlisted in the U.S. Army when he was 17 and fought in the Korean War from 1952-1953. After his discharge in 1955, Loren traveled the county with jobs working with computers to working in the oil fields of Western Nebraska.

He met Donna Faye Miller while she was working at a local café in Norfolk. After a brief romance, he married Donna, the love of his life, on September 2, 1961, in Winside, Nebraska. Loren, Donna, and their three children moved into a home that Loren remodeled from the ground up in Norfolk in 1966. Loren and Donna lived in their home for 58 years.   

In the 1970’s, Loren kept with the family tradition of farming by operating his own custom farming business. He then switched careers to one that he loved and was skilled in, carpentry. Loren was a master carpenter and ran his own company, Apfel Construction Company. 

When Loren finally retired, he devoted his time to traveling, fishing, and his many woodworking projects. He loved to work with his hands and crafted beautiful wood carvings and chests for his wife and children. He also spent years working on an intricate large model sailing ship. Loren had a keen mind and interest in computers. He was an avid computer gamer, and likely one of the oldest gamers in the country. Loren also graduated from Northeast Community College with two associate’s degrees. 

The one activity he loved the most, though, was spending time with his family, especially his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.   

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Donna; sons, Steve (Stephanie) Apfel of Holly Springs, NC and Darren (Bonnie) Apfel of Norfolk; eight grandchildren, Eric, Kyle, Joshua, Audrey, Scott, Darien, Justine, and Brooke; sixteen great- grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. 

Loren was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Shelli Roberts; son-in-law, Marvin Roberts; grandchildren, Marvin Roberts, Jr. and Amanda Shantel Burella; and siblings, Shirley, Allen, Donald, and Gary.

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