City of Oaks Funeral Home & Cremation
Obituary
Elizabeth Clarissa Apel
Clayton, North Carolina
Age 34.
Died 03/31/2026.
Elizabeth was born on February 8, 1992, in North Platte, Nebraska, and was welcomed into her family at just two days old—a moment that forever changed their lives. She was deeply loved from the very beginning and carried that love with her throughout her life.
She spent her early childhood in Papillion, Nebraska, and Rapid City, South Dakota until 1997, when her family moved to Cary, North Carolina, following her father’s retirement from the United States Air Force. There, Elizabeth grew up and built the life and relationships that shaped the remarkable person she became.
From the age of four, Elizabeth found joy and expression through dance, a passion she carried with her through high school. She trained and performed with Cary Dance Productions, where she not only developed her talent but also formed lasting friendships and cherished memories.
Elizabeth was also deeply involved in her faith community at First Cary United Methodist Church. She was an active member of the youth program, sharing her gifts through singing in the choir, ringing handbells, and participating fully in the life of the church. During her high school years, she served on youth mission trips to West Virginia and Tennessee with the Appalachian
Service Project, dedicating her time and energy to helping others in need.
Elizabeth graduated from Enloe High School in 2010 and went on to attend NC State University.
Elizabeth was a fierce and loyal friend, someone who stood beside those she loved with unwavering strength and devotion. She had a compassionate heart and a deep love for animals, always showing kindness and care to every creature she encountered.
More than anything else, Elizabeth’s greatest love was her 5-year-old daughter, Eden, who was the center of her world. She was a devoted and loving mother, and everything she did reflected the deep, unbreakable bond she shared with her daughter. That love will continue to live on, surrounding Eden always.
Elizabeth shared her life with her partner, Christopher Lee Huffman, the father of her daughter Eden. Together, they created a life centered on love, family, and devotion to their child.
Elizabeth will be remembered for her strength, her warmth, her authenticity, and her ability to make others feel safe, understood, and deeply valued. Her presence was a gift to all who knew her, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void.
She is deeply loved and will be forever missed by her parents, retired U.S. Air Force Lt Col Larry Philip Apel and Deborah Clarissa Goff Apel; her daughter, Eden Lee Huffman; her partner, Christopher Lee Huffman; her grandmother, Juanita Hardin Goff; her aunts and uncles, Frances and Earl Hass, Susan and Will Short, Randy and Pam Goff, and Steve Goff; her cousins, Leslie Marie Meissner, Tanya Hass, Cary Hass, Mandy Houck, Abby Leister, Michael Narx, Steven Narx, Jamie Stanfield, and John Thomas Goff; as well as many extended family members in Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas, along with countless friends whose lives she touched.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, retired U.S. Army SSgt Richard Apel and Frances Wilson Apel, Houston Goff, and her aunt, Cara Johnson Goff.
Though her time with us was far too short, the love she gave so freely and the memories she created will remain in our hearts always.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Appalachia Service Project, 4523 Bristol Hwy, Johnson City, TN 37601 or online at Appalachia Service Project | Mission Trips in Appalachia (https://asphome.org/) or Horne Memorial United Methodist Church Preschool, 121 E. 2nd Street, Clayton, NC 27520. You are also welcome to donate to your organization of choice.
Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever in our hearts.
For additional information or for service details, please reach out to the family directly.
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City of Oaks Cremation and Funeral Home is a full-service funeral home in Raleigh, serving all of North Carolina and beyond. We provide an alternative to costly funeral homes and every day we help families in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and all over North Carolina make simple, affordable funeral arrangements.
Simply having to reach out to a funeral home can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to simplify the entire funeral home experience and make the process as easy as possible. We hope to eliminate any unnecessary surprises by publishing our total cost and the services we provide directly on our website. All of our obituaries are provided free of charge as a way to help families celebrate and commemorate the lives of their loved ones.
Our Promise
Apples to Apples
Just like all other licensed funeral homes in North Carolina, City of Oaks Cremation, LLC is regulated by the NC Board of Funeral Service.
The same laws that apply to the big corporate funeral homes also apply to the modest independently owned firms like ours. All crematories in North Carolina, regardless of who owns them, are inspected annually by the state and must adhere to the same rules and laws.
Genuine Care
We're committed to providing families within our community unsurpassed service before, during and after the time of loss.
Our staff will provide clear communication to your family through each step as we move forward from the original phone call notifying us of a death to the time we deliver the urn back to your family. We will treat your family with the utmost respect, as we honor the wishes of your loved one.
We promise to make this process affordable and as endurable as possible.
State Wide
Our Funeral Home is located in Wake County NC; however, we provide our services to families throughout the entire State.
Unlike other funeral homes, we don't charge an additional mileage fee. Regardless of what county you live in, we can help your family with making simple, affordable funeral arrangements. From Asheville to Wilmington, we're proud to help families statewide.
Our Services
$1196.75
Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. We include everything you need for a simple or direct cremation. Simple, affordable and reliable. We have not changed the cost of our direct cremation service since we opened City of Oaks in 2012.
$2875.66
We offer the option of choosing how you receive your loved ones remains. Selecting our Direct Cremation with Solidified Remains option is a beautiful way to transform cremated remains into 40-60 “stones” that you can hold.
$1917.84
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation option with onsite visitation. Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. Simple, affordable and reliable.
$1596.75
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation with a private family viewing. A private family viewing allows up to 10 immediate family members or friends to spend time with a loved one when a public visitation is not preferred.
$2497.50
An immediate burial has the same end result as a traditional burial; however, we have eliminated the extra (sometimes unnecessary) services prior to getting to the cemetery. Not everyone wants an open casket for viewing or a limousine for the family. Despite the term immediate, we can move as fast as you need or as slow as you like. This option simply allows you to save money by eliminating some of the fancy extras at the funeral home.
$6081.48
We offer the same traditional funeral services as the big corporately owned funeral homes in the area; however, we cost about half the amount. You might consider a traditional funeral service if your family is looking for an open casket visitation, a traditional church service or a funeral service in the funeral home's chapel. A traditional funeral service can be altered to fit the needs of your family.
$3033.75
This establishment is one of a select number of funeral homes who meet the criteria for providing green funeral service by the Green Burial Council; a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization working to encourage environmentally sustainability in the field of funeral service. Our Green options allow for a funeral to take place without the use of toxic and non-biodegradable materials/chemicals.
$2640.59
As an alternative to traditional cremation, City of Oaks Funeral Home offers Alkaline Hydrolysis. The Alkaline Hydrolysis process uses a solution of water and potassium hydroxide to facilitate natural decomposition.