Lois Louise (Sanborn) Appel, 93, of Romeo died Thursday, March 13, 2025. She was born Oct. 3, 1931 in Lachine to W.A. (Andrew) and Olga Sanborn. On Feb. 3, 1951, Lois married her college sweetheart, Charles Appel in Long Rapids, Michigan.
Lois was a mother, wife, grandmother, great-grandmother and a well-respected member of the Romeo community. She was born in a log house often said that this fact alone made her one of the few people alive who was qualified to be President of the United States, like Abe Lincoln. Lois grew up on a farm, attended a one room school and graduated in 1949 from Alpena High School. Besides her regular chores, she was involved in 4-H and many church and community activities. She was also a majorette in high school and spent 2 years at Northern Michigan College of Education–now Northern Michigan University—as the drum major for the marching band. She received her state’s limited teaching certificate in 1951 and her first teaching position was at VanMeer School, a two-room school in Munising, where she taught grades one through four in one classroom. Lois and Charley both taught another year in Munising and then moved to Romeo where she taught for a year and before “retiring” to raise a family of four children.
Lois and Charley raised their family in a modest home at the edge of Romeo. They encouraged their children in their scholastic, musical and artistic pursuits. The family traveled, camped, canoed, and hiked during their summers off. After retiring, she and Charley continued traveling and learning by attending many Elderhostel events around the country.
She was a volunteer at the Romeo Action Center during the 1960’s where she taught sewing classes.
In 1971, Lois re-entered the workplace as a Library Technical Aid for the Romeo District Library. She was the reference librarian and answered scores of questions before Google was ever invented. If she didn’t know the answer off the top of her head, she could tell you where to find it. She loved to read and was always ready with a recommendation for a book, no matter the topic.
Later, she hosted a local cable TV show, “Romeo Ramblings,” interviewing a wide variety of local and noteworthy people, including the late Sen. Carl Levin.
She was, as she liked to say, one of the “ancient mariners” of the Romeo Monday Club. She became a member in 1956. She was a past president, parliamentarian and was instrumental in starting the Romeo Monday Club Fine Arts Scholarship in 1973. She also oversaw the first of many Monday Club Sampler Cookbooks.
She also helped revive the Romeo Archives. She recorded many oral histories from Romeo residents.
She was predeceased by her husband, Charles in 2009.
She is survived by four children, George Apel of Ypsilanti, Christine (Michael) Clauson of Warren, Joyce (James) Shorek of Shelby Township, and Sarah Appel of Capac; grandchildren, Andrew (Melissa) Clauson, John Clauson, Jamie Shorek (Charlie Ward) Mary Haynes (Caleb), Dayna Shorek and Rebecca Tucker (Jay); 12 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
She leaves to all of us many wonderful memories of a life well-lived.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Romeo Monday Club Scholarship Fund. 245 Church St. Romeo, MI 48065. Or at www.romeomondayclub.com. Or make a gift to an organization of your choice that promotes literacy.
And remember what she always said: “Keep moving and eat something green that grows every day. Green jelly beans don’t count!”
A celebration of life gathering will be held at a future date.
