Christal grew up in Tualatin, Oregon. After high school she married Juan Hernandez and they had three children, Maria, Cody and Amaiya. When the youngest child was a little older, Christal studied accounting and business management at Portland Community College and earned two Associate degrees. The family moved to Puerto Rico for two years where the children entered school while her husband Juan operated his own business and Christal took care of her family while they all enjoyed the relaxing island life. Her mother and brother especially enjoyed their elongated stays there.
The family came back to Oregon whereupon Christal received her real estate license. She then segued into her career with IBM as a mortgage analyst, while raising her children with Juan. She loved her career and was a leader in her field, training others in new technology and formats.
In her personal life she loved cooking authentic Puerto Rican fare and delighted in serving nightly meals to her family with love and affection. She was also a fine gardener, sharing her love of horticulture with friends and family and often gave snippets of her plantings. Christal adored her twin sister Robbin Carlson and her brother Brandon Livingston. Their families often camped and boated together on weekends.
Christal was the spice of life! She loved to joyously salsa dance, learned from her husband and her time spent in Puerto Rico and taught other family members. Christal was the spice of life and almost weekly danced with her husband, Juan, on Saturday nights at salsa clubs in Portland.
She loved her family and taught them to be respectful, polite and well-mannered and helped with their homework expecting excellent grades in preparation for college.
Christal was and is so loved by her family and friends and had maintained long-term friendships from her days in grade school.
We will miss our beautiful Christal’s heart, her teasing smile, and her love for her husband, children and family. Life is to be lived and she lived it. We love you so much darling Christal. Our hearts hurt for our loss but we know that you are in us and of us, forever to be loved and remembered. God Bless you beautiful Spirit. Till we meet again.
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