Jennifer Susan Apfel

Jennifer Susan McCune Apfel 

Born on November 19, 1946, in Marion, Ohio, to Wayne and Elenabelle McCune. She grew up in Miami Beach, Florida, where she enjoyed a happy childhood filled with family, friends, horseback riding, and a passion for playing the saxophone in marching band. After graduating high school in 1964, Susan and her best friend packed a car with a couple of suitcases, their dog, and drove across the country to Las Vegas, Nevada, where Susan started her long-time culinary career working at the Sahara Hotel and many other Las Vegas hotel properties. After studying the Bible Susan dedicated her life to Jehovah God and was baptized on December 13, 1975, and attended the original East Charleston Congregation on Shiloh Road. 

Susan loved watching football (go Ohio State!), watching ice skating, and many other events on the Olympics, but we all know how much Susan loved horses! That love began in Florida and followed her through Las Vegas, Pahrump, and even Colorado, where she spent treasured time riding with her dear friends. Susan was a strong woman with a huge heart, but also had a cowgirl toughness, often saying, “Cowgirls need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, get back on the horse, and finish the trail ride.” That strength and determination carried her and her family through many challenges over the years. Many of us cherish memories of traveling with Susan. She loved to explore the world, appreciate Jehovah’s creation, and reflect on the promise of the future Paradise. Her favorite scripture was Revelation 21:3, 4, which speaks of a time with no more pain, sorrow, or death. Susan especially appreciated learning that the word used for “tears” refers to sad tears, those caused by grief, loss, and pain, not the joyful tears we will still have when we welcome loved ones back in the resurrection. Susan meditated deeply on this scripture as she faced the loss of memory and physical independence during her declining health. Susan lived a full and meaningful life devoted to family, friends, travel, horseback riding, gardening, field service, and Bible studies. She served Jehovah faithfully until she fell asleep in death on January 1, 2026.

 Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Wayne and Elenabelle McCune, her husband, John Apfel, and her son-in-law, Peter Serpa. Susan leaves behind two children, Jennifer Serpa and Matthew Apfel, and four grandchildren, Anthony (Bailey) Higuera, Amelie Apfel, River Hippler-Apfel, and Forest Hippler-Apfel. She is also survived by her sisters Kathy, Sally, and Nancy, along with many cousins, nieces, nephews, and other loving family members and dear friends who loved her very much.