Friedrich "Fred" J. Appelt

Friedrich “Fred” J. Appelt, age 89, of Edgewood, Maryland, passed away on August 28, 2026.

Born on March 11, 1937, in Pressburg (Bratislava), Slovakia, Friedrich—affectionately known as “Friedl” to his family—was the beloved son of the late Josef and Anni (Fischer) Appelt. He was the middle child, between his sister Margarete “Gretl” Kober and his brother Herbert. He was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved sister Gretl, and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Fred was a devoted husband to Herta (Ludwig) Appelt, with whom he shared 61 extraordinary years of marriage. He is survived by his loving children, Daniela (Appelt) Caughron and her husband, Bill, and Christopher Appelt and his wife, Lianne. He was a proud and loving grandfather to Juliane (Caughron) Appelt and her wife, Abbey Appelt, Nate Caughron, Elena Appelt, Logan Appelt, and Kaela Appelt. Fred was also anticipating the arrival of his first great-grandchild, expected in January.

Over the course of his life, Friedrich was known by many names, each reflecting a different chapter of his remarkable journey. He was “Friedl” to his parents and family; “Fritz” during his early years in the United States among Marshall Peters, Manfred Weber, and their families in Hyattsville and College Park; and, eventually, “Fred” to his neighbors, friends, and coworkers in Edgewood and throughout Harford County.

Fred’s childhood was shaped by both family and the extraordinary circumstances of wartime Europe. He grew up in Pressburg, Prague, and Weseritz/Neumarkt, Czechoslovakia, during the war years before moving with his family to Schnabelwaid, Germany, and eventually Augsburg. He attended Volksschule in Prague, Weseritz, Schnabelwaid, and Wittelsbacher/Augsburg before continuing to Oberschule and Berufsschule in Augsburg. Although Fred often told his family that he did not particularly enjoy school, his favorite subjects were music, geography, German, and English.

He fondly remembered playing in the streets of Prague and visiting the countryside, including time at his grandparents’ home and with the Rohlich family and his cousins in Schnabelwaid. He often recalled Prague—the “Goldene Stadt,” or “Golden City”—as the most interesting place he had ever lived. He lived there from the ages of three to eight, during the years 1940 to 1945.

Music became part of Fred’s life at an early age. His father, Josef, an accomplished bassist and trombone player with the Augsburg Orchestra and Prague Philharmonic, taught him to play the piano, beginning a love of music that would remain with him throughout his life. Fred had the unique talent of playing “by ear”.

In 1951, Fred began his first apprenticeship at an Opel dealership in Augsburg, laying the foundation for what would become a lifelong expertise in automobiles and mechanical systems. Within 2 years he was promoted to Service Advisor and enjoyed trying his English with the American Soliders stationed in nearby towns that came in for service. Six years later, at the age of 20, he embarked on the adventure that would change the course of his life.

In 1957, Fred sailed to New York City aboard the USNS General Harry Taylor and began building a new life in America. His decision to make the journey would eventually inspire his brother Herbert and other friends to follow. Fred initially worked at Capital Cadillac and later at Bolling Air Force Base, where he maintained and repaired military staff cars and the Presidential Cadillac fleet.

In 1960, Fred was uniquely drafted, as a German Citizen, into the U.S. Army and served at Fort Riley, Kansas, and in Korea—“Go Ordnance!” During a return trip to Augsburg in 1964, he met the love of his life, Herta. They married in Pegnitz, Germany, in April 1965, beginning a 61-year love story and lifelong adventure. The following month, they arrived in the United States together as husband and wife.

Fred never looked back. Together, he and Herta made Maryland their forever home, building a life and family through hard work, faith, determination, and devotion to one another.

Fred’s career was aligned with the mission of the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School at Aberdeen Proving Ground. As a professional, he built a successful career spanning numerous wheeled-vehicle and tank programs, ultimately retiring as Director of the Track and Wheeled Vehicle Division- a schoolhouse training for every Army soldier that maintained mobility equipment. He was known as a leader with tough, but fair standards.

Retirement, however, did not mean slowing down. Fred began a successful shuttle service known as Mr. Shuttle. The early mornings, late evenings, and countless trips to area airports gave him a new mission and the opportunity to meet people from across Maryland who were traveling around the world. Many of his customers became good friends. He also transported families and students throughout the counties for summer camps and airport runs, continuing to drive well into his eighties. He often enlisted his family to help when faced with double bookings, delayed flights or larger groups and secretly enjoyed working together with them.

Throughout all of these chapters, music remained one of the great joys of Fred’s life. A talented pianist and accordion player, he shared his love of classical and Bavarian folk music freely with those around him. It was not unusual to see Fred pull out his accordion during a picnic or crab feast or sit down at a piano and simply begin playing at birthdays, holidays, and family gatherings, often with his grandchildren nearby.

He loved symphony performances and attended Baltimore Symphony concerts, and German Volksmusik always held a special place in his heart. In later years, he and his beloved Herta enjoyed watching concerts, Bavarian musicals and shows, news programs, and holiday specials together on German television. Fred was also a proud voting member of the Delaware Saengerbund, attending monthly meetings until early 2026 and volunteering at its annual Oktoberfest.

Fred’s remarkable mechanical ability likewise never left him. He was an expert at diagnosing and repairing automobiles of nearly any make or model, domestic or foreign—though Volkswagens held a special place in his heart. His talents extended to the family’s outboard boat engine and countless other things that needed fixing. Friends, family, and neighbors knew they could count on Fred when something broke, and he was always willing to lend his knowledge and a helping hand.

Fred was proud of his heritage and equally proud of the life he built in America. He was an immigrant, a U.S. Army veteran, a teacher, a civil servant, a small-business owner, and, above all, a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.

His Roman Catholic faith was a cornerstone of that life. Fred and Herta were founding members of Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Edgewood, where they volunteered in numerous capacities. Fred served in leadership roles, including on the building committee, and in the church’s early years went door to door seeking donations for a new church building. He and Herta supported the annual Fiesta, famously working the bratwurst stand with their family, and helped distribute holiday baskets throughout the community for seniors. He was also an active parishioner of St. Stephen Catholic Church in Bradshaw.

Fred often reminded his children and grandchildren of the principles instilled in him by his own family: a life with God, hard work, humility, and respect for others. Those were not simply words to Fred; they were the principles by which he lived.

He was a man of quiet strength and few words, someone who showed his love and character through what he did for others. His was an extraordinary journey: from a childhood in wartime Europe, through the streets of Prague and the cities and villages of Germany, across the Atlantic as a young man seeking a new life, into service in the U.S. Army, and eventually to a home, career, community, and family in Maryland.

Above all, Fred’s life was defined by the family he loved, the faith that guided him, the music that brought him joy, and the work in which he took pride. Together, he and Herta built a beautiful life over more than six decades. His legacy lives on in the family he cherished, the values he passed to his children and grandchildren, and the generations that will follow-he lived a truly remarkable American Story.

Family and friends are invited to gather for visitation on Thursday, September 3, from 3:00–5:00 p.m. and 7:00–9:00 p.m. at McComas Funeral Home in Abingdon.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, September 4, at 12:00 p.m. at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Bradshaw.

Graveside services will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. at Bel Air Memorial Gardens in Bel Air, with the procession beginning at McComas Funeral Home in Abingdon.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Stella Maris Hospice Care in Timonium, Maryland https://stellamaris.org/donate/  or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html?