Andrew "Andy" Appelhans

Andrew “Andy” Appelhans died January 31, 2012 at home with his family by his side. Andy was born February 21, 1947 in Garden City, Kansas to Edmund and Lucienne (DiSario) Appelhans. Edmund precedes Andy in death on March 25, 1998, special
friend - Frank “Bear” Irey, November 2003 and Rodger Irey, April 2007.

Andy married Ellen (Robinson) May 19, 1968. Along with his wife he is survived by two daughters; Monica “Nikki” Harding and Andrea Appelhans of South Haven. He is also survived by his granddaughter; Courtney Harding and great grandson; Brayden Andrew of Kentucky. His step-brother; Johnnie White of South Haven also survives. Andy is survived by close friends, Tom and Daton Wright of Plainwell and Dave and Meri Beth Hill of South Haven, and the whole racing community.

Andy was a hydraulic maintenance millwright and had worked at Pemco Die Cast in Bridgman for 26 years until its closing in 2003. He then worked at Gallant Corp in Zeeland for a year before being hired at ICG Berrien, Bridgman. Andy worked at ICG until its closing in 2009, retiring at that time.

Andy was an Army Vietnam veteran serving from 1964-1968, serving three years as a truck driver in Germany. Andy was well known local race car driver, driving at the Kalamazoo Speedway almost exclusively over his thirty five plus years of racing. Andy a favorite among the racing community, Andy was the first to help other racers.

Andy was a pit crew member of the #26, Brad Motorsports ARCA car this past year, traveling with his ARCA family to numerous tracks on the circuit.

Andy’s racing career spanned over the past 4 decades and although he raced at many of the local short tracks in the Michiana area, Andy and his family called Kalamazoo Speedway home. Andy may not have won a ton of races or track championships but Andy was a racers’ racer that won the ultimate award any driver could ever ask for and that would be that he won the respect and the friendship of every single person he raced or made contact with while at the track. No matter how the night started or ended for the Appelhans clan, one thing we all grew to expect is that Andy would be grinning from ear to ear, as he was simply doing what he loved to do, and that racing his car on Saturday night with his racing family and friends.

Visitation will be on Friday, February 3 from 6-8 pm at the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home and Saturday, February 4 from 11 am to 1 pm with a memorial service beginning at 1:00 pm at the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society or Race for Kids Sake. Kindly share your thoughts and memories on the family’s online guest book at www.FilbrandtFFH.com.

The family is being helped by the Filbrandt Family Funeral Home of South Haven, 637-0333.