Elke A.M. Krell, 85, peacefully passed away on December 23, 2025. She was born July 21, 1940, in Berlin, Germany, and immigrated to the United States in 1958, where she lived out the rest of her life. She was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
She worked as a bartender most of her life, allowing her to meet a variety of people from different backgrounds and cultures. An avid conversationalist, she had a love of cooking, gardening, cross-stitching, and Christmas. Later in life she was known as Oma to not only her grandchildren, but to anyone new she met as well.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Todd A Krell.
She is survived by her brother, Uwe Selling; her three children, Ralph Wilbanks, Curt Wilbanks (Kelley), and Caron Berg; her grandchildren, Mark Wilbanks (Raphaella), Jake Wilbanks, Brad Wilbanks, and John Berg (Areth); and her great-grandchild, Leon Berg.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.
May she rest in peace and may her influence, love, dedication, and strength be carried on by those who knew her.
Services will be held on Monday, January 19, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at French Funerals & Cremations Reception Center, 7121 Wyoming Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109.
Services can be joined online via Zoom: ID - 815 507 8954, Passcode - Elke.

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