Carol Fanger Bell

Carol was born on August 16, 1949 to Irving Miles Fanger and Pearl Palefsky Fanger in Brookline, MA. The second of four girls, she attended Beaver Country Day School in Brookline and graduated Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA with a degree in Early Childhood Education, and Duquesne University with a Masters Degree. Carol was a sister of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

She raised her children in Oakland, NJ. Carol was always at the helm of the parent/teacher organizations, from the elementary school PTA, middle school PTO, to the high school Music Parents Association. When her children were involved in theatrical productions Carol was always in the box office selling tickets. She was her family’s biggest supporter.

Carol taught for many years at Gerrard Berman Day School in Oakland, NJ, teaching First Grade General Studies as well as holding the role of School Librarian. In 2004 Carol moved back to Massachusetts where she was a Reading Specialist at a Solomon Schechter Day School. In 2012, Carol moved back to New Jersey to be closer to her beloved grandsons.

She is survived by her husband Steven Bell of Hackensack, NJ, son Aaron & Julia Bell of New Milford, NJ, and daughter Joanna & Craig Koster of Metuchen, NJ; grandsons Nathaniel, Zachary, Joshua, and Ari; sisters Barbara Shuman of Delray Beach, FL, and Laora Fanger & Baruch Mendel Bernstein of Sacramento, CA; and countless nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, all of whom she adored. Carol is predeceased by her parents, Irving & Pearl Fanger; sister Linda Jokinen, and brother-in-law Howard Shuman.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your local library, as Carol was an avid reader.