Crystal Lanan Baxter Bradley, 56, of Batesville, passed away on October 24, 2024. She was born September 27, 1968, in Batesville, Arkansas to Walter Lavon Baxter and Nancy Sheffield Baxter. Crystal was a 1986 graduate of Batesville High School. She received a bachelor’s degree from Arkansas (Lyon) College and a master’s degree from William Woods University, and was a member of Batesville First United Methodist Church. Crystal was an extremely dedicated coach and teacher for 27 years, beginning her career at Highland High School for six years where she served as assistant basketball coach and started the school’s first softball program as head coach. She served as head basketball and softball coach at Midland High School for three years. Crystal completed her career at Cave City High School, where she served as assistant basketball coach and head softball coach, and started the school’s first volleyball program. She also taught world and US history, social studies, and health classes, obtained her CDL and drove a bus, and served on numerous teams and committees. During her coaching career, Crystal was the assistant basketball coach on a Cave City team that played for a state championship in 2010, multiple NEA Tournament championships, and regional, and conference championships in basketball, softball, and volleyball. She was selected to coach the volleyball state all-star game, was selected as Queens of the Hardwood volleyball coach, was a two-time nominee to coach softball state all-star game, and was inducted into the Cave City Athletic Hall of Fame in 2023 as the winningest overall coach in school history.
Crystal had a warm, funny, magnetic personality that instantly drew people to her, and she was always the first one there when someone was in need. She was always the life of the conversation and loved laughing and talking with friends and family. She was deeply dedicated to her family, friends, coworkers, and loved her players and students like they were her own and went to great lengths always to do what was best for them. She enjoyed watching sports, particularly the Arkansas Razorbacks, Dallas Cowboys, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and Dallas Stars. To know her was to be her dear friend for life and she will be sorely missed.
Survivors include her husband of 31 years John Michael Bradley, and daughter Paige Nicole Bradley of the home. She is survived by her parents, Lavon (Joann) Baxter of Batesville, and Nancy Sheffield Baxter of Batesville, and one brother Steve (Melissa) Baxter of Batesville. She is also survived by her mother-in-law Beverly Baker Holt of Batesville, Eddie and Annette Bradley of Conway, Arkansas, and Lisa and Bruce Yother of Cabot, Arkansas. Other relatives include nephews Beau Baxter, Blaine Baxter of Batesville, Brett Yother of Greenwood, Arkansas, and Trey Bradley of Dallas, Texas, nieces Bella Baxter of Batesville, Erin Bradley of Dallas, Texas, Koryn Mackey of Sherwood, Arkansas, stepbrother Michael Foley of Cave City, Alina Grammer of Tontitown, Arkansas, and a host of other relatives.
She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Roy William Baxter and Wendall and Geraldene Hassell, and her maternal grandparents Dale and Catherine Sheffield and Harvey and Vada Sheffield, father-in-law Ed Bradley Sr., and stepfather Jap Holt.
Pallbearers are Deaun Baxter, Eddie Bradley, Bruce Yother, Malcolm Haigwood, Isaac Haigwood, Ervin Lambert. Honorary pallbearers include Dr. Elizabeth Eoff, Dr. Lane Gay, Dr. Caleb Oster, Dr. Sanket Nayyar, and the management and staff of Cave City Nursing Home. Visitation will be held Sunday, October 27, 2024, at 2:00 pm with the funeral following at 4 pm at the Cave City High School Gymnasium. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery in Batesville.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Arkansas, 201 Markham Center Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72205.
Arrangements by Qualls Funeral Home of Cave City
