Lucille K. Roll

Lucille Krayenhof Roll of Warren, formerly of Westfield and Mountainside, died peacefully December 26, 2017, at Overlook Hospital surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Decatur, GA on February 7, 1931, the only child of Lucille Hammond Yancey and George Bennett Yancey. She was later adopted by her stepfather, Harold Garrett Krayenhof.

Lucille, known as “Lu” or “Lulu,” graduated from Nottingham High School in DeWitt NY, and Syracuse University School of Home Economics where she majored in early childhood education and was president of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She married her college sweetheart, Edgar Allan Roll, “Ed,” in 1953 and they remained stalwart SU fans.

She was a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church in Westfield. Always a deeply religious person, Lu continued her quest for spiritual awareness by converting to Catholicism and became a member of St. Vincent De Paul Church in Stirling.

She and Ed were 40+ year members of Echo Lake Country Club, and golf was their favorite recreation when traveling around the country for business or vacations. Together they also enjoyed concerts at Lincoln Center, lecture series, PBS, current events, and anything relating to their family. Lu especially loved Broadway theater, the Thousand Islands and the Jersey shore, and reading, creative writing, and researching her genealogy.

She was a member of many organizations including Westfield Service League, Kappa Alpha Theta Alumni Chapter, College Club, and ELCC women’s 18-Holers. In the 1970s, Lu became a real estate agent, most recently with Coldwell Banker. She earned many awards and accolades, and remembered every customer and listing during her 35 year career.

When she and Ed retired, they continued their love of learning by enrolling in adult education classes and Bible studies. They recently moved to a senior living facility and she lovingly cared for Ed as his health declined.

Lu’s friends were very important to her. Always chatty, she loved to reminisce and amazed them with her recollections from 70 years ago. She was working on an autobiography about growing up in Georgia during the Depression, which her children will finish in her memory.

Her greatest love was for her family. She was enormously involved and interested in each of her kids’ and grandkids’ lives, only satisfied if she received regular updates on all of them. She cherished their times together, and every visit or phone call ended with “I love you.” Lu was a beautiful person inside and out, who prided herself on remaining active, taking good care of herself and being an “upper.” Her loss is immeasurable and has left a huge void in our hearts.

Lu was predeceased by her parents and stepfather, sister Margaret Kirkman and brother Harold Garrett Krayenhof, Jr. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her children Dorian Roll (Charles Schweitzer), John Roll (Paula), Marcia Reilly (James), and Christina Mahoney (Jeffrey). She was “Nanny Lu” to grandchildren Meredith Porri (Daniel), Katherine Roll, Christopher Reilly, Patrick Reilly, Brian Reilly, Max Mahoney and Molly Mahoney, and great-granddaughter Cecilia Rose Porri. Also surviving are her sister-in-law Marjorie Krayenhof, and her father’s children Marion Carroll, Constance Oortman, Trisha Smith, Georgeanne Raines, Betty Lue Fox, and Walter Yancey.

Visitation is Tuesday, January 2, 2018, 3-7 pm at Higgins and Bonner Funeral Home in Westfield. A Mass of Christian burial is Wednesday, January 3, 2018, 10 am at St. Vincent de Paul in Stirling. Interment at St Gertrude’s Cemetery in Colonia is private. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation or St. Vincent De Paul Church. 

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