Visitation:
August 12 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Emerald Hills Funeral
Home and Memorial Park
Service:
August 13, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home.
Funeral home:
Emerald Hills Funeral Home and Memorial Park
Obituary
Norman Lee Aper, 86, passed away on
July 27, 2025, in Arlington TX. He was born on July
6, 1939, in Hartsburg, Illinois to John E.S. Aper
and Anna Luken Aper.
Norm grew up in the Hartsburg/Lincoln, Illinois
area. He graduated from Hartsburg-Emden Community
High School in Hartsburg, IL in 1956.
Norm enlisted in the United States Navy on September
13, 1956, and served for 4 years. He served on a
non-combative ship surveying oceans and was the
recipient of a Distinguished Service medal and Good
Conduct medal. He was honorably discharged on June
24, 1960. After the military, he returned to
Lincoln, IL for the next 5 years.
Norm worked on farms whenever he could for the first
year after returning to IL. He also worked at a
cosmetic factory until he decided to move to Texas
in August of 1966 where he worked various jobs. He
worked for an air conditioning company from 1966 til
the mid 80’s when he started his own construction
business. In 1991 after a major heart attack and
triple bypass surgery, he decided to work a regular
8-5 job doing maintenance for Baylor hospital in
Grapevine where he stayed until retiring in 2004.
After retirement, he really enjoyed life with his
grandchildren and would babysit them as often as he
could. Norm was an active member of Advent Lutheran
Church and looked forward to attending service every
Sunday.
Norm married Patricia Johnson on July 15, 1967, in
Durant, OK. They were happily married for 56 years.
He loved the precious moments he had with his
family. He enjoyed working in his yard striving to
make it look the best, gardening, hiking, camping,
piloting small planes, walking at the mall and
hanging out with the many friends he had out there.
He also enjoyed going to his favorite restaurant
daily and seeing all his friends there.
Norm was preceded in death by his
wife Patricia Aper, his parents John E.S. Aper and
Anna Luken-Aper, his brothers Weldon, Lowell,
Melvin, Paul and Dale Aper and his sisters Doris
Werth and Joan Richner and also a son Tracy L. Aper
Norm is survived by daughter Vicki
(Jerry) Dronenberg of Chestnut, IL, son Terry
(Cherie) Aper of Lincoln, IL, daughter Jennifer L.
Holliday of Lincoln, IL, son Damon (Laurie) Aper of
Granbury, TX, son Darren (Dana) Aper of Keller, TX,
and daughter Jennifer Hooton of Arlington, TX.
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His 11 grandchildren, Shelby Harvey, Jonathan
Aper, Ryan Aper, Joseph Aper, Anna-Kate Aper, Ronin Aper,
Colton Holliday, Haylee Hooton, Kaleb Aper, Cory Aper, and
Bailee Aper. His 6 great-grandchildren, Nyla-Kate Gibson,
Charlotte Aper, Guinevere Aper, Dean Harvey, Karter Harvey,
Maverick Harvey, Adelyn Aper, Josie Aper, and Ronan
Holliday. Norm also had many nieces and nephews and other
relatives in Illinois.
A memorial service will be held at Emerald Hills Funeral
Home and Memorial Park 500 Kennedale-Sublett Rd. Kennedale,
TX, 76060 on August 13, 2025, at 10:00a. A visitation will
be held August 12 from 6p-8p
To order
memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory
of Norm L. Aper, please visit our
flower store. |