Lee Ellen Krell

08/15/1919 - 06/22/2011

KRELL,
Lee Ellen

At her request, no services will be held for Lee Ellen Krell, 91. Mrs. Krell died in Rifle, Colorado surrounded by her family on June 22, 2011. She was born August 15, 1919 in Trinidad, Colorado to Isidore and Gertrude (Bendix) Sanders. She graduated from Trinidad High School in 1937; she then attended Trinidad State Junior College and was employed as a reporter at the Morning Light newspaper in Trinidad.
After her father died, she moved with her mother to Denver, Colorado and attended Emily Griffith Opportunity Business School as well as the Denver Art College. During this time, she dated the former governor of the state of Colorado, the late Ralph L. Carr. While in Denver, she was employed in the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) office of the military department.
Upon the death of her mother, Mrs. Krell enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps branch of the service during World War II, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant. While stationed in Alamogordo, New Mexico, she met her future husband and love of her life, Harvey Henry Krell, Sr. of Latah, Washington. They were both stationed in England and married in Caxton Hall which was bombed shortly thereafter. She and her husband were the last group to see the final musical performance of the well-known Glenn Miller and his orchestra before the bandleader's flight departure and ultimate disappearance. Mrs. Krell was later assigned to the JAG Office during the war and was a court reporter in Paris, France. She worked on the preliminary legal paperwork for the infamous Nuremburg trials.
After her honorable discharge from the service, Mrs. Krell and her husband briefly lived in Seattle, Washington and Browne's Addition in Spokane, Washington before moving to Riverside, California where her children were born. The family returned to Spokane during the mid-1950s. Mrs. Krell worked for the United States Army Recruiting Office in downtown Spokane. Her last employment before retiring was with the federal government in the Small Business Administration, loan closing section.
When her husband died in June, 2003, she moved to Sandpoint, Idaho to live with her daughter. She enjoyed reading, music, plays/movies, children, bingo, art, writing letters, traveling, conversation and spending time with her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Harvey Krell, her parents, a brother, Simon Sanders; a sister Emily Jane; and an infant son. She will be deeply missed and is survived by her loving children, Marta Krell Katana, Sandpoint and Harvey (Butch) Krell, Jr. (Jeanette) of Escondido, California; grandchildren Jeremiah (Sally) Blume of San Francisco, California; Melissa (Ryan) Mahler and Rachel Katana of Rifle, Colorado; Toni Krell of Kennewick, Washington; Teresa Krell of Pullman, Washington; Ivan, Lily, Summer and Jackson Krell of Escondido; three great-grandchildren, various nieces, nephews and cousins and numerous caring friends. Donations in Lee Krell's name may be made to your local American Cancer Society.