Crystal Jeanine Pritchard

Crystal’s independent spirit and caring legacy have impacted her family, friends, clients, and all who knew her.

A dozen cool things about mom:

- She was in the first graduating classes of Palisades elementary, junior high, and high school. We have the first Marquez yearbook to donate to the school archives.

- Her devotion to animals with her dear sister Denise as her lifetime co-conspirator started as a child and only grew over time. Their pets of various species benefitted from sweet words and many cuddles and were a source of joy in their relationship their whole lives.

- She was a UCLA Bruin. Her granddaughter Kate graduated from there, and her grandson Fox was just admitted. We think of this as her heavenly high school graduation gift to him. She wished to be at Katie’s upcoming wedding and Fox’s high school graduation and will be there in spirit. She did get to help Katie pick her wedding dress, and that was a wonderful day.

- After college she became a special ed teacher, organic farmer, and environmental activist.

- She raised organic beef and sold it nationally through mail order from her farm in the early 1970’s. Long before it was thing!

- When she divorced, she went back to school to get her PhD and became a clinical psychologist. One of her specialties was agoraphobia. Some of her happiest memories with clients were taking a small group to the beach for the first time in years.

- She was also known in Bend, Oregon for her role in treatment in drug court. At one time she could not go into a grocery store without being greeted by someone she had helped.

- While in Bend, she also became a shepherd, raising an ancient form of sheep that descended from the original breed in Israel. She won ribbons for this heritage breed but more importantly she loved her sheep. Several of them are still living happily at very advanced ages on the pasture.

- Her commitment to mental health and sobriety were embodied in her devoted care of her son Matthew, with whom she lived throughout her life and of whom she was very proud. Matthew was a great help to her through her illness and is living close by and continuing to be part of weekly family life. Please keep him in prayer.

- She attended 30 years of Pacific Chorale events cheering on her boyfriend George. She was a great friend to her closest friends, among them her childhood friends Becky and Hank, her work-to-life ever-present friend Terry, her two-generation BFF Ines Weber who is also Clarissa’s mom, and her neighbors everywhere she lived.

- She loved being a cousin! She had the blessing of a large and loving family around her in childhood and kept in touch with her cousins at points across her whole life. She kept everyone in mind and often popped into people's lives at the more difficult times rather than the fun ones. You knew she always wanted the best for you.

- She was a remarkable mother and woman. Some of my favorite projects with her were building a dollhouse, creating a snowman for the front yard made of tumbleweeds, and camping across the country’s national parks for a whole summer with a truck and our dog Jasper when Matt and I were little.

- She became enamored of politics late in life and was moved by the barrage of media of our times. We had major political disagreements. However we always agreed on family first and this political divide did not come between us even though it did provide plenty of debate. She appreciated political conversations with son-in-law Scott and Katie's fiance Ryan as by that time I wouldn't discuss it.

At the very end when I told her again what a great mother she was, I told her I was sorry I could not have been a republican for her. She said ‘well, someday you will.’ We laughed and laughed and laughed and that was our relationship in a nutshell. We could talk about anything, argue about anything, laugh about anything. I can’t stand to let her go so I am just bringing her with me for the rest of my life.

She loved her plants and gardening. To that end, we will be planting a memorial Love and Friendship garden in her honor featuring her favorite roses, lavender, herbs, and jasmine. Flower donations for this project can be made at

https://www.gofundme.com/f/dr-crystal-pritchard-memorial-garden?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&fbclid=IwAR1xMJg-ZLEuEMvFL6wfCuMFHIN6smJZ4km0AVmVnMfQWwkM-kKkFdZ6QAw

Per her and Denise’s wishes, she will be buried in the country this week, in a peaceful cemetery in our new family plot that will over time have her surrounded by family for generations.

A joyful celebration of her life will be held May 21st at Lake Shrine Self-Realization Center down the street. It was one of her favorite peaceful places. May she rest in peace and may we keep her in our hearts always.