Arlene I. Krell

Arlene Irene (Buyofsky) Krell, 80, of Little Falls died Tuesday July 8, 2014. Born in South River, New Jersey, Mrs. Krell attended Monmouth Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1955. She worked as a medical-surgical nurse in Florida and California, performed operating room duties in New Brunswick, was head nurse of surgery /Cardiovascular Care at NYU/Bellevue Hospital Medical Center in New York City. It was at NYU that Arlene studied operating room technique under the pioneering cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Michael DeBakey and assisted on one of Dr. DeBakey's first-ever televised cardiac procedures. Arlene married the late Joakim Krell in 1962 and moved to Connecticut, where she worked as an instructor in operating room nursing and staff nurse at Stamford Hospital and School of Nursing. She moved to Little Falls and continued nursing through the Montclair Registry as a private duty nurse and Mountainside Hospital as an oncology nurse and hospice/home care nurse. Arlene proudly earned her BSN from New Jersey City State University in 1997. Arlene was a parishioner of Ss. Peter & Paul Russian Orthodox Church in South River, where she was a member of the Federated Russian Orthodox Club (FROC). She continued to be an active member and past president of the Singac chapter upon moving to Little Falls. At the St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church, Arlene was also a member and past president of the St. Anne's Altar Society, Sunday School teacher, church committee member, and sang in the choir. Arlene was active in civic organizations, such as the Little Falls Women's Club, Little Falls Recreation, Great Notch Fire Company Ladies' Auxiliary, and president of the Great Notch Association. She was one of a few residents who could take credit for preventing the opening of a garbage dump in Little Falls at MSU. Arlene was also active in engaging residents of Clove Road and Little Falls in terms of challenging MSU's ever-growing footprint. She was predeceased by her husband Joakim in 2004. Survivors include her son Joakim M. and wife Marianne (Geiger); her daughter, Justine, daughter Susan Fett and husband Jim; grandchildren Katrina, Jakob, and Justin; her brother, Conrad Buyofsky of South River, and cousins Myrna (Toreky) Woznica of Seaside Park and David Spiller of Colorado, numerous nieces and nephews, and a lifetime of beloved friends from nursing school, church, and civic activities. Arlene took pride in her family, nursing vocation, religion, education, and town, dedicated herself to helping others, and used her "voice" to make change. She loved vacationing at the Jersey Shore and Maine, was an avid storyteller, enjoyed dancing, and will be best known for her vibrant "live it up" personality. Funeral Services will be 9:45 am Saturday from Bizub-Parker Funeral Home, 47 Main St., Little Falls and 10:15 am at St. John the Baptist RO Church, Weaver St., Singac. Visitation Friday from 2-4 & 7-9 pm with a Panakhida at 3:30 pm. Interment Ss. Peter & Paul's RO Cemetery, South River, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John the Baptist ROGC Church (Singac NJ), Eagle Rescue Squad, PO Box 203, Little Falls, NJ 07424 or Great Notch Fire Co. #4, 170 Long Hill Rd., Little Falls. Visit www.bizub.com for driving directions/ online condolences.