RUSH CENTER — Helen L. Appel, 83, of rural Rush Center, passed away on Monday morning, Jan. 20, at Hays Medical Center. Born on June 22, 1930, in Hargrave, she was the daughter of Jacob and Mollie (Ickes) Reifschneider. In 1948, she graduated from La Crosse High School. On Nov. 18, 1948, she was united in marriage to Delmer D. “Bud” Appel in La Crosse  A homemaker, Helen enjoyed gardening and taking care of her chickens, as well as cooking, baking, and sewing.  
Mrs. Appel was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church in La Crosse. She was active in both the Walnut Valley Senior Center in Rush Center and the Golden Keys Senior Center in Alexander.
Survivors include, one son, Richard and his wife, Denise Appel of Rush Center; one daughter, Laura and her husband, Steve Cox of Abilene; two grandchildren, Kevin and his wife, Nicole Appel and Denise and her husband, Josh Shuey; five great-grandchildren, Levi and Lyssa Shuey, Ashlynn and Jayden Basgall, and Kolton Appel; one brother, LeRoy and his wife, Marie Reifschneider of La Crosse; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband,Delmer D. “Bud” Appel, on Feb. 10, 2007; three brothers, Henry, Edward, and Harold Reifschneider; and five sisters, Marie Reifschneider, Katie McMillan, Mollie Bott, Ida Crotinger, and Esther Murray.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at the United Methodist Church in La Crosse, with the Rev. Diana Hill officiating. Interment will be at the La Crosse City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8  p.m., with the family receiving friends from 6 to 7 p.m., on Thursday, at the Janousek Funeral Home in La Crosse. Church visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:20 a.m. on Friday at the United Methodist Church in La Crosse. Memorials are suggested to the Levi Shuey Medical Fund in care of Farmers Bank and Trust in Great Bend. Condolences or remembrances may be left for the family at www.charterfunerals.com/locations/janousek-lacrosse.php.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Janousek Funeral Home*
719 Pine
P.O. Box 550
La Crosse, Ks. 67548
Great Bend (Kan) Tribune, Jan. 22, 2014