Elizabeth Helen Hackstie Appel

elizabeth appel
Elizabeth H. Appel, age 90, of Vienna, VA born October 3, 1930 to Victoria and Harry Hackstie in Philadelphia, PA, passed from this life peacefully after a long illness on September 4, 2021.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Henry Hackstie, and her husband, William H. Appel with whom she had five children. Betty (a.k.a. Mom-Mom and Nana) was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who always placed the needs of her family before her own. With her ability to bring family and friends together with a good meal and her God-given, warm, and motherly personality, she was truly the glue that held the family together. She loved to cook for the people she loved, with a glass of Merlot close by, of course. Whether it was her famous mac ‘n’ cheese, or her delicious pound cake, her dishes became a favorite to anyone who tried them.

She was a devout Catholic, graduated from St. Hubert’s High School in Philadelphia, PA in 1948 and was a long-time member of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Great Falls, VA where she attended daily Mass. Until she lost her driving privileges due to a stroke, Betty volunteered her time to transport handicapped individuals to Mass, visited and spent time with many friends and prayer groups, and swam laps at Cardinal Hill Swim and Racquet Club down the street. She loved spending time at the beach, watching old movies, including some of her favorites (any Hallmark movie and Phantom of the Opera with Emmy Rossum), and tending to her canine and feline “furry children” over the years. When it came to her music, she would love to listen to quite the variety including opera (Puccini, La boheme, and Madama Butterfly) which brought tears to her eyes even in her final days, her many favorite Christmas tunes (just about any old Christmas song), and even the occasional country song (Pretty Good at Drinking Beer by Billy Currington).

She is survived by her children, Dr. Robert A. Appel (Barbara) of Fayetteville, NC, Musician First Class Susan V. Appel, USN (Ret.) (Betty’s caregiver), William L. Appel (Jenny) of Ashburn, VA, Stephen D. Appel (Marnie) of Mineral, VA, and Jeffery C. Appel (Meg) of Aldie, VA. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, Eric, Christopher, Nicholas, Robert, Becky, David, Austin, Alyssa, Dalton, Aiden, and Oliver; two step-grandchildren, Nicole and Tyler; six great-grandchildren, Cooper, Everett, Charlotte, Bradley, Hunter, and Bowie; two step-great-grandchildren, Hunter and Weston; two brothers, Louis Hackstie (Jewell) and Rudolph Salvermoser, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to Elizabeth's Life Celebration at Money and King Funeral Home, 171 W. Maple Ave., Vienna, VA on Thursday, September 9 from 5-8 p.m., with the Rosary prayer at 6:30pm followed by the opportunity to share stories and fond memories from 7-8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 1020 Springvale Rd., Great Falls, VA on Friday, September 10 at 10:30 a.m. Interment to follow at Fairfax Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Betty’s name to Human Life International, A Woman’s Choice, or ServiceSource Foundation. Services are entrusted to Money and King Funeral Home.

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  1. The Appel family, saddened to hear about the passing of Miss Elizabeth. What a wonderful lady she was. Full of kindness and so caring. So glad that I got to meet her over the years delivering the mail. May the comfort of knowing that she is home with God help you through. Bryan Fritts

    • Thank you for your kind words, Bryan! She really loved seeing you over the years. Your kindness never escaped her. God bless! Sue


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