1957 – 2016

LISBON FALLS — Crystal Star Matthews, 59, of Lisbon Falls, passed away of natural causes in her home on the evening of Monday, May 23.

Born in 1957 to Bonnie and Lawrence Gould, Crystal was the oldest of four siblings, including brothers, David and Jeff (J. P.); and sister, Vickie. Crystal and her husband of 41 years, Michael Matthews, met while he was visiting friends near the purple house where she spent most of her youth. They fell in love and married after just a few short months. Her laughter lit up Michael’s life.

Crystal left school early, but returned to earn her GED from Lisbon High School shortly after the birth of her only daughter, Araminta Star Matthews.

A champion of children everywhere, Crystal worked as a custodian for Durham Central School for more than 20 years, cleaning and caring for the well-being of the children that attended school there and the teachers whose classrooms she maintained.

Everyone who knew Crystal, knew her to love children tremendously. She was the most content when she had children around her, including her daughter, nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and her only granddaughter, Zelie Madwin.

She was predeceased by her brother, J.P., in 1989, and she devoted much of her life to caring for the children—and later, the grandchildren he left behind. Known as “Nauny” to her nieces and nephews, they shared a special bond. For all of her family, she never forgot a birthday or special holiday and always made sure the children in her life felt special and loved. Family meant a lot to Crystal, for whom being a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter and Nauny was a source of great pride and joy.

Reading and gardening were Crystal’s hobbies. She could always be found with the latest Stephen King in her hands or planting flowers in her garden with the help of her oldest and dearest friend, Pam Lussier. Crystal also had an unusual sense of humor and a deep love of scary movies. She kept a bottle of tomato juice labeled as “fresh blood” in the refrigerator when her daughter was little, and horror films tended to make her laugh rather than jump with fright.

Crystal is survived by her husband, Michael Matthews; daughter, Araminta Matthews; son-in-law, Abner Goodwin; granddaughter, Zelie Madwin; mother, Bonnie Gould; siblings, David Gould and Vickie Gould and her husband, Dave Gideon; nephews, Christopher and Jeffrey Gould, and their partners, Jessica and Lucretia Gould; niece, Jennifer Gould; great-nephews, Tyler, Logan, Damien and Bubba; great-nieces, Lexie, Taylor and Peyton; and lifelong friend, Pam Lussier.

She was predeceased by her father, Lawrence Gould; grandmother, Araminta Sawyer; Aunt Sweetie; grandmother, Doris Maybury; and brother, J. P. Gould.