Delores "Dee" Helen Appel

DELORES HELEN (Holicky/Harriman) APPEL age 82, of Waseca left this earth and her family to be with her precious Lord on Saturday, September 11, 2021 surrounded by her family.

Delores was born on April 18, 1939, in LeCenter to Alfred and Alida (Tiede) Holicky and, as often told by Dee, in the middle of a snowstorm. She was the first of four children. Dee’s childhood was spent on the family farm in LeCenter. She often told the story of walking miles to school with hot potatoes in her pockets to keep her hands warm and later eating the cold potatoes for lunch.

After graduating from LeCenter High School in 1957, Dee attended beauty school in Mankato. She then worked for many years at Mabel Waltz’s in Waterville. It was in Mankato that she met her first husband, Arnold Harriman. Together they married and had 6 children. They spent many years moving around the country living on many Air Force bases. They divorced after 19 years of marriage.

On May 10, 1980, she married Jerome Appel in their new home in Waseca. Together they enjoyed evening walks, gardening, bird watching and playing cards.

Dee’s many hobbies and passions included sewing/quilting, covering coat hangers with yarn, camping, car club cruises and events, fishing with Jerry, and traveling to visit family. If you were blessed enough to receive one of those hangers you know it was made with love! Her quilts were also made with love and she prided herself on making one for each of her family members using their favorite color or style and gifting them as keepsakes.

Dee worked hard to help many families within their homes. She helped make them beautiful and worked in many other capacities where needed. She worked over 40 years for one very special family that loved her dearly and they treated her like she was a part of their family. One might say she was their own special “Alice” from the Brady Bunch.

Dee was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Waseca. She had a strong faith in the Lord and was praying with her rosary in hand even in her last days here on earth.

She is survived by her loving husband, Jerry; daughters Janet Harriman of Statesville, N.C. , and Laura Schultz, Kimberly Griffey, Monica (Brad) Wendland, all of Waseca; sons Douglas Harriman of Tampa, Florida, and David (special friend Patty) Harriman of Waterville; step children Patty (Jerry) Leopold of Plano, Texas and Rick (Laurie) Appel of Elysian; brothers Donald (Katie) Holicky and Leo (Delores) Holicky of LeCenter; and sister Eleanor (Jerry) Rezac of Waseca. Dee is also survived by 12 grandchildren Jody (Matt) Morris, Jesse Appel, Jeremy Appel, Katie (Marcus) Beers, Luke (Lindsay)Schultz, Sarah (Nate) Rugger, Josie Griffey, Jackson Griffey, Matt Wendland, Olivia Wendland. She also had 15 great grandchildren. Dee was preceded in death by her parents and her granddaughter, Abigail Wendland.

Visitation will be held from 4-7 PM on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at the Third Street Chapel of Dennis Funeral & Cremation Services in Waseca, and will continue for one hour before the service at the church on Wednesday.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Waseca. Interment will follow at Woodville Cemetery in Waseca.