Donald E. Appelgreen

All who knew Donald Appelgreen would agree that he put the sparkle into the world around him. It has been said that he had a heart as big as the outdoors as he was the sort of person who would give the shirt off his own back to someone in need. Blessed to spend more than 60 years with the love of his life, Don was overjoyed to watch his family tree blossom to include the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who made his heart sing. He leaves behind a legacy that is deeply rooted in honor, generosity, and compassion that will live on through the friends and loved ones he treasured. The Roaring Twenties were some of the most exciting days our nation has ever seen as it was a time of great change filled with prosperity and new innovation that was transforming the way we lived our everyday lives. This was the decade that witnessed the peak of Broadway while greats like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb made baseball Americas favorite pastime. It was in 1928 that an active family from Beal City, Michigan, was blessed with the birth of a healthy baby boy on March 16th. Donald E. was the fifth of seven children born in Remus to his parents, Willis A. and Mamie M. (Martin) Appelgreen, and was raised in the family home alongside his older siblings, Martin, Gerald, Kathryn, and Vada, and his younger siblings, Rita and Walter. His father supported his family by farming for others and was a custodian at Weidman Schools. Once his children were grown he tended bar while his mother was a busy homemaker who also helped on the farm. Dons father was also an avid gardener who was known to do a little bootlegging also. As a student Don attended a one-room schoolhouse near Beal City where he used to stoke the fire before school started. By the time he was in his eighth grade year our country was held firmly in the grip of the Great Depression so Don left school at the end of that school year to help farm on the Murphy and Hauck farms. Throughout his life Don was one to work hard. For a short time he worked at his father-in-laws grocery store, Casners Grocery, on the West side of Mt. Pleasant. Don also worked in maintenance at the Borden Creamery and also delivered milk for Bordens Milk, which were two completely separate businesses. He made a career in the trucking industry, working as a driver and broker for 28 years with 18 of those years being spent with Liquid Transport. During his time there he owned three separate trucks and had two drivers working for him. The remaining ten years were spent driving a truck for Total Petroleum. From there Don purchased his own franchise of Western Auto in Clare, which he operated for ten years. His last few years in the work force were spent driving a gravel train for Gostola Trucking While he was busy establishing his career Dons life was forever changed when he met the young girl who stole his heart. Her name was Arlene Casner, and they met at the restaurant where she was working. After dating for a time, Don and Arlene were deeply in love. With a desire to build a life together they were married on September 18, 1948, at Sacred Heart Church. Together they welcomed three children into their hearts and home: Thomas, Lois LuAnn, and Julie. Throughout his life there was nothing that was more important to Don than being with his family. When their children were young Don and Arlene owned a cottage on Coldwater Lake. They enjoyed family vacations at Sleeping Bear Dunes where they had a ball with a Volkswagen that Don converted into a dune buggy. He even acquired the nickname Flip because he was known to flip his dune buggy over on more than one occasion. Don also had fun with his children when he took them snowmobiling, and he also rebuilt a surrey that he used to take his family on a horse and carriage ride from Mt. Pleasant to Traverse City one year and to Lake City a different year. On Sundays the family often took a drive after church, stopping to pick up pickled ring bologna and heading west of town to visit with friends. Holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas were always spent at Don and Arlenes until they were in their mid-seventies. Don was a man of many interests. When he was first married he played quite a bit of baseball, and he always had a good time golfing, too. Later in life Don really enjoyed spending time at his son Toms hunting camp, the Alibi. He was a jack of all trades who kept busy with various projects around camp whether plumbing, electrical, or welding. Don even built his own pontoon and the trailer they used to haul it around. He was also a member of Sacred Heart Parish, Beal City Knights of Columbus Council 3651, and a life member of the Moose Lodge. During his many years working, if he were asked how he was doing, he would commonly and sarcastically reply, Sick, tired, run-down, beat-up, and dont feel good. However, when asked the same question in his retirement his new response was, Perfect . With a warm demeanor that appealed to everyone whether young or old, Donald Appelgreen made a significant impact in the lives of many in the community he called home throughout his life. He could be a genuine goofball, yet he was also as generous and loving as they come. Don loved babies and was deeply devoted to the family he cherished more than life itself. He will be deeply missed and warmly remembered. Donald Appelgreen died on Wednesday, January 2, 2012. Dons family includes his children, Tom (Sheila) Appelgreen of Clare, Lois LuAnn Oakley of Mt. Pleasant, and Julie (Russell) Schafer of Beal City; six granddaughters, Kelly (Craig) Carmoney of Midland, Amber McGrew of Clearwater, FL, Nichole (Brad) Nienhuis of Allendale, Abbie (Matthew) Roseman of Brighton, and Ashley and Katelyn Schafer, both of Beal City; great-grandchildren, Lindsay, Jackson and Sydney Carmoney, Noah and Drew Nienhuis, Lexas, Morgan, P.J., Ryder, and Reece McGrew, and Cadin Oakley and Lili Roseman; three siblings, Walter (Anne) Appelgreen of Chippewa Lake, Vada (Arden) Pridgeon of St. Joseph and Rita (Bob) Modderman of Grand Rapids; brother-in-law, Howard Bunk Wood of Weidman; and numerous nieces and nephews. Don was preceded in death by his wife, Arlene in 2010; and three siblings, Martin and Gerald Appelgreen and Kathryn Wood. A Funeral Mass for Don will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 5, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Thomas Held presiding. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home, 2300 S. Lincoln Rd., on Friday from 4-8 p.m. with the Vigil beginning at 7:30 p.m. Visitation continues at the church on Saturday one hour prior to Mass. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Sacred Heart Academy Foundation. Envelopes are available at the funeral home. Please visit www.charlesrlux.com to leave a memory.