Chrystal Marie Snow was born on Oct. 7, 1985, to John Reason “Reece” Snow and Janelle “Gidget” Norris.
She was loved and raised by many people throughout her childhood. The beauty of family is that you have a village of people who will step in and step up — and Chrystal had a very big family that loved her very much.
Growing up in Pagosa Springs, Colo., Chrystal was a mountain girl from the moment her bare feet hit the dirt. Willingly or not, she learned every prime fishing hole from her daddy, and later looked forward to showing them to her two sons, Hevon and Helliono.
She loved the whisper of the trees on a cool mountain day and the babble of chattering creek. She loved the sunshine and the snow. She loved the rain and the sounds of frogs in the evening. She loved her home.
She grew up with cousins as her best friends and recruited the neighborhood kids into her shenanigans. Chrystal was never without a friend who loved her dearly; anyone who met her loved her. One of her greatest powers was connecting with people and doing so with a depth that made you feel like you had known each other for years and not moments.
She had a way of laughing that made you want to laugh with her. It was joyful and unrestrained. Even when she was suffering with her own losses and the stresses of life, she always had a ready smile, laugh and an encouraging word for others.
She was tragically taken from this world on July 2, 2024.
Chrystal’s commitment to helping others was unwavering, and her motivation to do so meant that she touched many. She earned her bachelor’s degree in human service management. After that, she began her career in family advocacy at the Pinon Project in Cortez, where she worked for several years before returning to Pagosa to care for her grandmother, Lois Norris.
Her work at Community Connections and her role as a founder of the Pagosa Community Initiative were not just jobs, but a reflection of her deep-rooted love for her community. She always said it meant so much more to her to be working in Pagosa, her home. Her impact on others was profound, and her absence leaves a void that will never be filled.
Chrystal was preceded in death by her mother, Gidget Norris; her father, Reece Snow; her grandmothers, Lois Noris and Rose Marie Snow; her stepmother, Charity Lattin; and her cousins, Josh Rogers and Jason Snow.
She will continue to be remembered and cherished by her sons, Hevon Martinez and Helliono Martinez; her sisters, Josie Snow, Cimarrona Kelley and Sierra Tobias; her uncles, Bob Snow, Jene Snow, Justin Snow, Danny Snow, Larry Snow, Timmy Snow, Karl Snow, Bleu Norris and Rob Stewart; her aunts, Hope Snow, Rachel Snow, Verona Snow, Shonna Snow, Lisa Norris and Laura Stewart; her many cousins, Marlena and Joleen Snow, David, Katie and Lacie Snow, Amanda and Ashley Snow, Hailey and Cody Snow, Richard, and Billie Jo Snow.
Please join us in celebrating Chrystal Marie Snow on July 28 at 2 p.m. at Pagosa Springs High School.
