Stephen Appel

1935 - 2017

APPEL

As a young man, Stephen Appel planned that he would retire early and go to work for his alma mater, the University of Chicago. Instead, he married, raised a family, and became an integral part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Cincinnati. He died February 5, 2017, in Cincinnati, Ohio, after a brief battle with lung cancer. Stephen Bernard Appel was born May 28, 1935, in New York City, to Joseph and Frances Soss Appel. He received his bachelor's degree in 1954 from the University of Chicago, where he was a member of Delta Upsilon. After two years in the Army, he returned to Chicago and completed his MBA in 1959. He became a lifelong retailer, finishing up as an Operating Vice President at Federated Department Stores in Cincinnati, from which he retired in 1988. Following his retirement, Steve found his real calling when a friend recruited him in the mid-1990s to substitute teach for "just one session" in a class for retirees at the University of Cincinnati's Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR). Over the next 25+ years, he went on teach courses about many of his passions, including silent movies, comedies, musicals, and classic westerns, the Lewis & Clark expedition, and the American Revolution. However, he also served for 6 years as the volunteer director for the rapidly-growing program, doing everything from pushing audio-visual carts to working with the Curriculum Committee. He served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 2004-2007 and served on the advisory committee until his death. He was part of the effort to join forces with the Bernard Osher Foundation, which provided the funding to grow the ILR into one of the nation's largest educational programs for mature adults, now rechristened as the Osher L ifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). Steve continued to teach at OLLI until he became ill in the fall of 2016. Steve is survived by his wife of 49 years, Patty Smith Appel; his children, Susan Appel and Henry (Jessica) Appel; his grandchildren, Cheryl, Katie, JT (Joseph), and Austin; his brother, Michael (Barbara) Appel; his sister-in-law, Dorothy (Ashton) Smith Gorton; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. At Steve's request, there will be no funeral. In his memory, friends are welcome to make donations to Friends of OLLI, PO Box 210093, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221.