Dorothy Appel, 91, of Brookings, passed away on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, at the United Living Community.  There will be no services held, with a private family burial taking place at a future date.  In lieu of flowers, the Appel family asks that family and friends make contributions to their local hospice programs or volunteer at a local assisted living community.

Dorothy Colberg Appel was born on March 20, 1930, to Martin and Olena (Anderson) Colberg at Toronto, SD.  She grew up in the Toronto/Estelline area.  She attended the Deuel County rural school.  In 1949 she started working as a nurse aid at the Estelline Hospital.  On September 24, 1950, at the Estelline Trinity Lutheran Church she was united in marriage to Harrold Appel.  They farmed in the Hayti area until they purchased a family farm two miles west of Estelline in 1956.  They had 4 children.  Harrold was killed in a car accident on December 6, 1960.  The family moved to Estelline in August of 1961.  Dorothy moved to Brookings in 1979 and was employed at SDSU until her retirement in 1993.

She is survived by two sons: Rodney (Val) Appel and Lynn Appel; two daughters: Darla (Erwin) Jillson and Beth (Steve) Johnson; 5 grandchildren; 2 step-grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband; parents; 3 brothers; 3 sisters; 1 grandson; and 1 son-in-law.