Marilyn (Kropf) Appel

June 29, 1930 – October 20, 2013

Marilyn Appel, a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully at Providence Mt. St. Vincent. Although she lived with Alzheimer’s disease for the last years of her life, her gracious spirit and soul prevailed.

Born in Tacoma, Marilyn graduated from Lincoln High School in 1948 and the University of Washington in 1952 with a BA in Education. Marilyn was an active member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. While attending UW, Marilyn met her future husband, Jim. They married in 1953 and became the proud parents of four beautiful daughters.

During her teen years, Marilyn’s love for tennis became her greatest passion and hobby. She earned a position on the Lincoln High School boys’ varsity tennis team, becoming the first girl to play on a boys’ varsity sports team in the United States. At the UW, she played competitively and was the All-University tennis champion. In 2009, Marilyn was inducted into the Tacoma Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of her legacy as a trailblazer in women’s sports. Marilyn’s enthusiasm for tennis continued; she played competitively for the Mercer Island Country Club and the Seattle Tennis Club, served on the STC Archives Committee for 25 years, and passed on her experience through teaching and inspiring others with her skills and sportsmanship.

Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents, William and Ethel Kropf, and brother, William Jr. She is survived by her husband Jim, Judy and Joel Siler, Jill and Jim Bowles, Jenny and Rick Redman, Janie and Rob Andrews, her sister Jean Anderson, her seven cherished grandchildren and a large extended family. We will all miss Marilyn’s warm personality and joyful laugh.

A memorial Mass will be held for Marilyn, in the chapel at Providence Mt. St. Vincent, on Tuesday, November 12 at 9:30 a.m. In addition, we will have a celebration of Marilyn’s life on Wednesday, November 13th at the Seattle Tennis Club from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Remembrances may be sent to Providence Mt. St. Vincent, 4831 35th Ave. S.W., Seattle, WA 98126