Crystal Cates, loving daughter, sister and aunt, passed away Thursday, June 24 at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
She had fought valiantly since November after being diagnosed with COVID.
Crystal was born July 19, 1985 in Hollywood, Florida. She moved to Key West when she was a year old. She graduated Key West High School in 2003 and after a few years of traveling and college she landed at Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, where she worked for 10 years. She enjoyed her work and loved her coworkers.
She was passionate about being healthy and never turned down a dance-off on Dance Revolution! She loved her family fiercely and was the proudest aunt to her nieces and nephews. The love of her life was her high-maintenance dog, Mako, who will now drive her father, Craig, crazy for the rest of his spoiled doggy days.
Crystal was preceded in death by her mother, Cheryl Cates. She is survived by her father, Craig, her two sisters, Tammy and Nicole, her brother-in-law, Raymond and her nieces and nephews, Taylor, Riley, Trevor and Andrew.
A service will take place at Key West United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 1. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Crystal’s honor to Jackson Health Foundation, Attn: Flavia Llizo, 1500 NW 12th Ave., Suite 1117, Miami, FL 33136. The doctors, nurses and therapists became her family and friends these last seven months and we are forever grateful.
