Connie Krelle
Connie Krelle, age 82, passed away at home on March 1, 2022 in Albuquerque, NM, with family by her side. Connie was born in Denver, CO on October 14, 1939. She grew up in Minneapolis, KS where her family was from. She was raised by her loving parents Dick and Madonna Gardinier, with loving care from her grandparents Venice and Snow Berthelson, and Dot and Grandaddy Hawkins.
Connie loved music, and was a talented musician. Singing and playing piano were as natural to her as breathing. As a young woman, she played piano as an accompanist, and sang for many events in church and in the town. She continued to sing in church and in choral ensembles throughout her life. In high school, she was a member of the National Honor Society. She kept in touch with her high school friends, attending HS reunions in Minneapolis, KS over many Memorial Day weekends for 60 years.
Connie attended college during 2 different chapters of her life. After high school, she attended College of Emporia and Brown Mackie in Salina, KS, before leaving school to marry Larry Kriegh and raise her three children. After divorcing, she earned her bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University in 1980, during her children’s teenage years.
In 1982, Connie married Art Krelle, and in 1986 they moved to Albuquerque, NM together to begin a 31year chapter of new friends and experiences. There she was a member of PEO, and an active member of Sandia Presbyterian Church, where she sang in the choir and acted as the wedding coordinator for several years.
Connie and Art traveled to Germany many times to visit Art’s extended family there, and also hosted them in Albuquerque on many happy occasions. They also traveled to Europe when Connie performed with the Albuquerque Women’s Choral Ensemble. A
Welsh men’s chorus raising the roof of a pub with their singing after one evening’s concert, was a joyful memory. A Baltic cruise in later years was a special trip together, as was beginning their relationship years earlier by taking an impromptu road trip to California to deliver a friend’s car.
Bridge was a game Connie loved playing with her friends often, as well as lunching with the Lunch Bunch, and staying in touch with all her friends from Newcomers for over 30 years.
Family was her greatest earthly love and holidays together were full of tradition and very special.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Krelle, and her parents, Madonna and Richard Gardinier. Survived by her children Barbara Allen-Mahopac, NY, Kayla Kriegh-Albuquerque, NM, Richard Kriegh (Laurie)-Pavilion, WY, Jemi Krelle-Colorado Springs, CO, Brendan Krelle (Camile)-Salt Lake City, UT, sister Janice Young (Robert)-Waukee, IA, sister Ruth Michele Black (Edward)-Hermiston, OR, and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Her Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2022, 3pm, at Sandia Presbyterian
Church, Albuquerque, NM. To view Connie’s story and share memories, please
Visit www.neptunesociety.com.
Memorial donations may be made to: Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation, of Albuquerque, NM. Lung Cancer Research Foundation. Alzheimer’s Association.
Published by on Mar. 20, 2022.
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