Crystal L. DeMoss, age 53, passed away on September 29, 2025, in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was born on June 8, 1972, in McCook, Nebraska, to Chick and Susan DeMoss.
Crystal will be remembered as brave, strong-willed, generous, thoughtful, and fiercely independent. She was passionate about her views, blessed with a brilliant mind, a loving spirit, a generous heart, and an unforgettable laugh. She was a wonderful and nurturing sister who deeply loved her family and worked tirelessly in all that she did.
Among her proudest accomplishments were earning her MBA from Doane College and graduating from the Wharton School of Business Executive Program. She belonged to a bowling league and golf team, though she valued the camaraderie and time with others more than the games themselves.
Crystal’s happiest moments included celebrating her educational achievements and sharing those experiences with her family. She loved traveling, live music, cooking, decorating for the holidays, hosting game nights, and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys. She had a gift for making things beautiful and for bringing joy to those around her.
Friends and family will remember her determination and ability to live fully in the moment. Though stubborn at times, she was also a true people person who had the ability to fit in and enjoy any group she was with. Above all, Crystal will be remembered for her devotion to her family and friends.
Crystal is survived by her parents, Chick and Susan DeMoss of Lincoln; brother and sister-in-law, Andy and Kristen DeMoss of Lincoln; niece, Myka Lemke of Lincoln; nephew, Kamron Ihde of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and many cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, as well as aunts and uncles.
Crystal requested a Celebration of Life party. Family and friends are invited to join for an open house celebration honoring Crystal’s life on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from Noon to 4 p.m. at Wyuka Funeral Home, 3600 “O” Street, Lincoln, NE 68510
To Crystal’s family,
I want you to know how deeply Crystal touched my life. She was such a phenomenal person and a wonderful influence, both personally and professionally. I looked up to her for her strength, her wisdom, and the way she embodied what it means to be an incredible female role model. She showed me how to lead with both grit and heart, and I will always be grateful for that gift.
I’ll also never forget her sense of humor. Whenever I was down, she wouldn’t let me stay there—she’d either tell me to “F off” or make me laugh until we were both in tears. That was her magic: she lifted people up with equal parts honesty and joy.
Crystal’s legacy of love, laughter, and strength will stay with me forever. Please know that I am keeping all of you in my heart and prayers.
With love and sympathy,
Lindsay Schellpeper ♥️
I met Crystal in High School. We were in Pep Club together at East. She was always smiling! Cheering on our team & always a great friend! She made the dance team & was an amazing addition. She had the most amazing smile!
I had not seen her for years, & was reunited at another HS friend’s birthday celebration! (This was 30+ yrs. since HS), she was just as beautiful & kind as ever! She made my day, with her compliments!
Crystal was such a beautiful person! She had the most infectious smile & a heart to match! She always made your day better! I was truly blessed to of known her! She was really a genuine person!
Prayers & hugs to all her loved ones!
All my love to the beautiful DeMoss family.
Crystal was the epitome of kindness, generosity, love and fun, wrapped in intellect, savvy and a strategic mind. The qualities that made her the best friend also made her the best businesswoman. That’s because she just was who she was, not because she had an agenda, but because she wanted the best outcome for everyone personally and professionally. There was nothing artificial about her. She lived in a world that could be quite opportunistic and even shallow at times, but she lived above the fray and always did what was best for those around her, the companies she represented, and the family she loved so dearly. It was my privilege to know her, and my honor to be among her inner most circle; a circle forever broken. The world is worse off now, but we shall persevere. Crystal DeMoss will be the force that is forever with me. May the force be with you all.
I met Crystal many years ago while out with friends we had in common. As I stood by the table where she was seated among people I knew well, I could not stop wondering about this pretty, entertaining, smart, confident girl with the most amazing smile I’d ever seen. I’d say she lit up the whole room, but we were in an outdoor beer garden behind a Havelock bar. That smile lit up the darkness of night! I thought about her for days after that; she had impressed me so much, both with her personality and that radiant smile. Some time later, we found each other at other social engagements, and through that a friendship began that allowed me to spend time with her and get to know her pretty well.
Crystal was a good friend who frequently checked in on my well-being, even when she and I both knew that I was not going through anything even resembling the challenges she was facing. She was just that kind of a person. She was caring, thoughtful, kind and considerate. Her political views appeared to be based on the same values by which she lived her life. She was someone who recognized the value and dignity of others and never held back her anger when she felt people were being mistreated or short-changed. From my time knowing her, I could not detect a flaw in that girl. She was simply wonderful in every imaginable way, and she will forever be an example for how one should treat others.
To her family, I am so very sorry for your loss, and you are in my thoughts.
Sorry for your loss. I know my sister Anissa loved her dearly.
What a tremendous loss. Crystal was a phenomenal boss for me through some of the toughest times in my career and life. She didn’t just open doors for me, she blew them off the hinges helping me to grow both professionally and personally. I will always cherish those days on her team…and that laugh, will never forget that laugh.
My deepest condolences
Dustin Otradovsky
My first memory of Crystal was being introduced to her when she was a baby. Then watching her grow up bit by bit for the next ten years or so as visits to and from Nebraska and Iowa allowed.
When I went to college I lost contact with her, Chick and Susan for many years as I graduated and moved to Chicago. But eventually Crystal and I became friends on Facebook. From her posts and the messages we shared, I quickly learned that we had a lot in common and were kindred spirits when it came to our view of the world.
Crystal surprised me in the fall of 2021 with a visit from her, Susan and their friend Myrna. There was a lot of laughter in a short time that afternoon, and I insisted on taking them to the airport the next day, just for the pleasure of seeing them for a few more hours.
We caught up again in the summer of 2022, when Jonathan and I were on our way to Colorado. Again, it was a wonderful visit with her, Chick and Susan, and it cemented in my mind that these were people I wanted to keep in touch with and build a closer relationship to. I wish there had been more time do that with Crystal.
I feel a profound sense of loss at her passing. But for those with the good fortune to have been closer to Crystal, I can only imagine that their grief must be many magnitudes greater. To all of you, Jonathan and I send our most heartfelt condolences.