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June 16, 1928 – November 11, 2023
Werner Kappeli died peacefully on the 11th day of November, 2023 with family members and close friends offering him comfort and support as he bravely faced his death.
Werner is survived by his two brothers Victor and Ernst, his two sons Roger and Rolf (Pamela), his daughter Evelyn (John) and 4 grandchildren: Monique (Dylin), Anton, Selena and Jared (Andrea)
Werner was born in Switzerland on June 16, 1928 and grew up in Merenschwand-a municipality in the district of Muri in the canton of Aargau, Switzerland.
His mother Marie-Keusch and father Johann had several children.
Being raised in a large family, Werner chose a profession with the intent of caring for the needs of his mother in her later years.
In 1948 Werner completed his apprenticeship in Zurich as a machinist tool and die tradesman.
In 1952 Werner and his brother Victor came over on the boat and settled briefly in St. Catharines Canada.
While there, he landed his first job as a paid lathe hand, he earned 60cents per hour-after six days into that “lucrative” job he decided to move to Windsor Canada where the hourly rate of pay was better, $1.56 per hour.
There in Windsor he shared a flat with several hard-working acquaintances.
The very next year, 1953, Werner took the boat back to Switzerland so as to marry his beloved Dory who waited for him in Lucerne, Switzerland.
After they married on the 13th day of June 1953, Werner took his betrothed on the boat and set sail for Windsor Canada, but this time he got his own flat…
Now that Werner had the beginnings of a new family, with their first child on the way, he knew that he had to find work that paid better-so he would commute from Windsor to Detroit where he worked as a machinist.
The shop that he worked in as a skilled lathe hand was unionized.
Werner not only efficiently put out quantity but also quality product.
His boss told him that he was making all his other employees look bad by his own job performance. So his boss gave him a newspaper and told him to go into the restroom and read for a while until his fellow workmates would catch up.
In 1954 Werner decided to go into business for himself, so he rented part of a small shop where he turned out parts with only the one lathe that he had bought with cash.
He was so good at what he did that people sought him out and much more work came his way by ‘Word of Mouth’. As his business grew, he hired other machinists to work alongside him. Then, as needed, he built his own shop building to house his business.
The rest of that story is just history…
Dads main goal was to be a good provider for his family which he was.
When Werner and his wife Dory retired in 1994 they moved to their favorite place, Aspen.
Family members had introduced Werner and his wife, Dory to Aspen in 1959.
Prior to their retirement, they would travel back and forth to Aspen from Detroit on the California Zephyr. Then Werner decided to take up flying with the goal of flying himself, the wife and kids back and forth to Aspen.
His first plane was a Beechcraft Bonanza, soon the kids out grew the small cockpit. The solution? Upgrading to a larger plane, it was a Cessna 310. In time, he upgraded to a plane with a pressurized cabin, the Cessna 421
Since Werner and Dory loved skiing in Aspen so much, they, along with his two brothers, Victor and Ernst and their wives, purchased a ski lodge in 1962.
It was the Bell Mountain Lodge that was on Cooper Avenue across from City Market.
There is a lot of history concerning Werner and his whole family.
While Werner was known as a mild, kind and generous person, he was best known as one of Jehovah’s witnesses since the early 70s.
He was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1972. From that point forward he joined not only his wife Dory, but his three children as well in following the footsteps of Jesus Christ in service to the true God Jehovah.
Werner and Dory cherished the opportunity to share their hope of a better future where all sickness, suffering, and death would be removed.
When Covid came along and Jehovah’s Witnesses temporarily ceased their global public witnessing activity during the pandemic, Werner and his wife Dory would work as a team in sharing their cherished hope of better times ahead by writing literally thousands of letters to people in their community.
Perhaps you have personally received one of their hand written letters.
These letters were an effort to share some positive and encouraging information with their Aspen neighbors.
One of Werner’s favorite topics comes from the Bible book of Job.
When the man Job faced an illness that almost took his life, he penned the words found at Job chapter 14 verses 14 & 15.
In that biblical account, Job asked the question: “If a man dies, can he live again?” Job answered his own question with these words: “I will wait all the days…until my relief comes. You (Jehovah God) will call, and I will answer you. You will long for the work of your own hands.”
Yes, the man Job was comforted by his hope that Jehovah God actually longs for the day when he will bring back the dead who are in his memory to a life in a paradise earth, free of all suffering and death.
The Bible book of Revelation chapter 21 verse 4 verifies this by the promise: “God will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will morning nor outcry, nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away.”
Soon, very soon we will see these promises realized. On that day, we will see our lost loved ones resurrected back to life. Then people, like Werner and his wife Dory who passed away last January 5, will enjoy life once again, a life free of the pain and suffering that we have to deal with in this present life.
Werner, our loving father and good friend to so many others will be missed for now!
But soon, Werner and many others who have lost their lives, will be brought back to life when all suffering and death, “man’s last enemy, will be brought to nothing” even as
1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 26 explains.
While he was 95 and had a fruitful life, he still loved life to the end and felt that it was being cut too short even though he had to endure losing the love of his life, Dory, his wife of 69+years.
It can be said that he ‘Lived a Great Story’ especially when mom was still
alive.
Daddy/Papa, we miss you so much, but we will see you soon!
There will be a memorial service for Werner at the Aspen Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses on January 20th
2:00 pm, 55 Pyramid Rd, Aspen, CO 81611 Reception following. Zoom link will be available.
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