NORTH MIAMI, FL — It is with great sorrow that we announce the death of our beloved mother, Ranice Sheppard Appell. She peacefully passed away on April 27th, 2020 of natural causes in North Miami, FL. She was 91 years young.
Ranice was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up on Far Rockaway Beach, NY where she met the love of her life, Arnold Appell. In 1950, Ranice and Arnold were wed and moved to Norwalk, CT. Ranice, being a “modern woman” worked as a dental assistant while raising her two children and remained there for 35 years! She was a force to be reckoned with and played a huge role in both her coworkers and patients’ lives.
Ranice and Arnold moved to Westport, CT. in the early ‘60s where they resided for 40 years before retiring to Grantham, NH. They were married for 63 years before Arnold’s passing in 2014. Ranice reinvented herself while living in NH and landed a job working in a custom jewelry store. She went on to become a Certified Diamond Gemologist at the age ripe age of 75 and sold jewelry for the next ten years. Ranice loved to travel and was able to journey to London, Paris, Italy, Israel, the Caribbean and Mexico.
Trading snow for sunshine, she and Arnold moved to Florida to be closer to their son Howard. She returned to New England in the summer months to live with her daughter, Linda, son in law Andrew and granddaughter, Elyssa. Her children were her life. Ranice remained active into her 90’s and was well regarded for her acting skills in a local theater group and for her participation in Italian classes. She also enjoyed attending lectures at local libraries.
Ranice taught us the importance of family and the true meaning of loyalty. She touched each and every one of our lives with her grace, her strength of character, her radiant smile, and her zest for life! She was our rock and she will be forever remembered. Rest in peace our beautiful mother.
Ranice leaves behind her adoring son, Howard M. Appell, her loving daughter, Linda Reida and son in law Andrew Reida, her cherished granddaughter, Elyssa Reida and her two devoted feline companions,Tika and LaLa along with her devoted nieces and nephews and special friends who she considered her family.
In lieu of flowers, we request that all donations be sent to jacksonhealthfoundation.org in Ranice’s memory. We would like to especially thank the nurses on the 2nd floor of Jackson North Memorial Hospital for their loving kindness toward our mother in her final days of life.