Victoria "Vickie" Susan Crist

Vickie "Mom" Crist, 45, of Amarillo died Tuesday, June 15, 2010.Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in Griggs-Schooler-Gordon Funeral Directors Pioneer Chapel, 5400 S. Bell St."I won't be far away, for life goes on. So if you need me, call, and I will come."The world has lost an amazing woman, but she will never die. A mother, wife, sister, friend, work mom and grandma. She was everything to everyone and never asked for anything in return except a little bit of time and a lot of love. She was a force of nature, leaving in her wake not disaster, but order and love. Everyone, no matter how old they were or how she knew them, called her mom, Mama, Work Mom, Momma Vick. From card and board games, to fireworks and Sardines, to camping and fishing, she was up for anything. She was just as likely to sing carols with us in the middle of July as she was to belt out the Eagles and Eve 6 at the dinner table during poker.Mom was only 5-foot-2, but to everyone she touched, she was 200 feet tall. No matter what you needed, what question you had, she was smarter than the rest of us, but more than that she was wise and understanding and kind - no question or discussion was off-limits. She was our rock, our protector, our guide, our confidante, our sounding board. She was our superhero.But she was also our best friend. She was the one who would read all the same books as us just to give everyone something to talk about. The one who would play endless hours of Marco Polo in the pool, Rock Band in the living room and countless others at the table. It didn't even have to be a real game - just something to put a smile on everyone's face and laughter throughout the house. Even when she was giving you "the look," you knew it would be a smile or laugh if you just gave her a minute or two.Our house followed mom's open-door policy. She would accept anyone with open arms, a smile and a plate of food. She smiled and the room lit up. She laughed and everyone laughed with her. And if she was here, she would look at us, give us a hug, tell us, "Get over it!" and bust out the games.We're here, all of us, husband and children, grandkids and friends, tag-alongs and animals. Our hearts ache, but we know we can make it because she would want it so. Hope for tomorrow, strength for today and the belief that we can survive as long as we have our circle of love.