John Apel

Panhandle John Thomas Apel, 63 died Saturday, March 28, 2009 in Amarillo, TX. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 31 at the Panhandle Cemetery with Rev. Joe Zimmerman, Pastor of the 1st Baptist Church officiating. Interment is under the direction of Minton-Chatwell Funeral Directors of Panhandle. Masonic rites will be under the auspices of Carson County Masonic Lodge 1167. Masons are requested to meet at the Lodge one hour before the service.

John Thomas Apels birth on July 31, 1945, was well attended by his two grandparents, Dr. Thomas H. and Dr. Anna Haigh McKenzie, she being an obstetrician. He was the only son of John W. Apel, Jr. and Frances McKenzie Apel. His Apel grandparents were John W. Sr. and Alberta Boyce Apel. In the family tradition, he was named after his two grandfathers John for the Apels and Thomas for the McKenzies.

After receiving his bachelors degree in English from West Texas State University, he received his masters degree in mathematics from Texas Tech University. He and Shirley Ann Walker were married on June 16, 1967. John was drafted into the U. S. Army where he became a sharp shooter and sergeant. At one point, he knew he had two sets of orders one to Viet Nam and one to Germany. After a very anxious week, the set for Germany was issued.

Angela Ann, his only child, was born in Nuremberg, Germany, on May 7, 1969.

Upon his honorable discharge, John taught English and mathematics in various high schools in Kansas, New Mexico and Texas, retiring to Panhandle, TX, to live in the McKenzieApel family home.

John began studying the Masonic rites in 1978 and became as his father and Uncle Howard McKenzie before him Worshipful Master of the Carson County Lodge. Shortly before he died, he was tutoring a neighbor in the Masonic rites.

On August 6, 1986 John married Carolyn Vick Iles. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; his two step-sons, Joe Iles of Amarillo and Michael Iles of Alvin, TX and their families; his daughter Angela Ann Apel of Ardmore, OK; and his two sisters, Ann and Bill Stewart of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and Marie and Bill Ishee of Houston, TX and their son, Jonathan; 7 Grandchildren.

Donations in Johns memory may be made to the charity of choice.

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