Krystal Long Duss (1974

Memorial website in the memory of your loved one

Create a Memorial Website »

Send
Sympathy Gifts
and Flowers »

"And if I go, while you are still here.
Know that I live on, vibrating to a different measure,
behind a thin veil you cannot see through.

You will not see me so you must have faith.
I can't wait for the time when we can soar together again, both aware of each other.

Until then, live your life to the fullest and when you need me, Just whisper my name in your heart...
I will be there."
by Emily Dickinson, American Poet

Krystal Long Duss
March 5, 1974 - December 10, 2003
Beloved Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister, and Friend.
To Know Her Was To Love Her.

I Am With You

When you wonder the meaning of life and love
Know that I am with you.
Close your eyes and feel me kissing you
in the gentle breeze across your cheek.

When you begin to doubt
that you shall ever see me again
Quiet your mind and hear me.
I am in the whisper of the heavens
speaking of your love.

When you lose your identity,
When you question who you are,
and where you are going,
Open your heart and see me.
I am the twinkle in the stars
smiling down on you,
Lighting the path of your journey.

When you awaken each morning,
not remembering your dreams,
but feeling content and serene,
Know that I was with you -
filling your night with thoughts of me.

When you linger in the remnant pain,
wholeness seeming so unfamiliar,
Think of me and Know that I am with you.
Touching you through the shared tears
of a gentle friend. Easing the pain.

As the sunrise illuminates the sky,
in the breathtaking glory,
awaken your spirit.
Think of our time, all too brief, but ever brilliant,
when you were certain of us, together.
When you were certain of your destiny.
Know that God created that moment in time
Just for us.
Unknown Author
















Daddy and Mommy getting Andrew and Daniel situated
at the Columbia House Restaurant on October 14, 2003. They were treating their maternal Grandma
to a Happy Birthday Dinner. Granddad was there also.



             Andrew                          Daniel

This memorial website was created in the precious memory of Krystal Long Duss who was born in Titusville, Florida on March 05, 1974 and was killed by a drunk driver on December 10, 2003 at the age of 29. Krystal graduated from Orange Park High School in Orange Park, Florida in 1992, and had completed her Associate Degree at Florida Junior College in Jacksonville, Florida. Krystal was completing her Bachelor's Degree at The University of North Florida. She was looking forward to being a high school math teacher. Krystal loved children, math, and teaching, and she was a top notch, caring, dedicated, knowledgable teacher in a private school while completing her Bachelors Degree to become a Florida public school teacher.

Krystal's husband was Joe Duss. Krystal was the Executive Director of Joe Duss Painting, a company owned and run by Joe and Krystal. Krystal and Joe tried for six years to have children and were joyous when Krystal became pregnant and then blessed when their twin sons were born on December 3, 2002. Joe and Krystal were both ecstatic! Krystal wanted to be a mother more than anything else in the world! She savored and enjoyed every moment she had with her twin sons Daniel and Andrew Duss, who celebrated their 1st Birthday Party three days before Krystal was killed by a drunk driver.

Krystal and Joe owned and successfully ran
J Duss Painting Company. What a team!

Andrew in right picture with Mommy.

Daniel in left picture with Mommy.

More than anything in the world, Krystal wanted to be a Mom. Daniel and Andrew are absolutely THE BEST GIFT Mommy ever, ever received! Our hearts break that she was killed by a drunk driver three days after Daniel and Andrew's first birthday party. Mommy and Daniel are on the left, and Mommy and Andrew are on the right.

L to R - Daniel, Mommy, Andrew

Mom loves this picture because Krystal
is seen facing the camera smiling, and also she is
reflected in the mirror from a different angle
that shows her profile and ponytail.





Mommy pushing Andrew (left) and Daniel (right)
in double stroller on vacation at Hilton Head Beach. Wow, Mommy is strong to be able to push her two sons in beach sand!

Mommy loves her boys!
L to R - Andrew and Daniel



What fun Mommy, Daniel, and Andrew
had at the pool!

In the summer of 2003, Joe and Krystal with their sons, and Greg (Joe's brother) and his wife,Gina, and their two children spent a fun-filled week vacation together at Hilton Head, South Carolina. Here's a picture Greg took at Mickey's Toontown Fair.
L to R -Daddy, Daniel, Mommy, Andrew,
Mackenzie, Aunt Gina, Braden

Krystal and Joe valued family so they went to Tampa, Florida, so Daniel and Andrew could meet their paternal Great-Grandma Duss. They had a wonderful visit.
Great-Grandma Duss died a few months before
Krystal died.

In November 2003, Joe, Krystal, Daniel and Andrew
drove about 400 miles to Miami for Daniel to see a Special Doctor. The next day on the long trip home, Krystal wanted to stop off in Ft. Pierce, Florida to let the boys meet their maternal Great-Great Aunt Peggy. They all had a delightful and fun visit. Krystal valued family and wanted the boys to know their Aunt Peggy.

On that same long 400 mile trip home, Krystal also wanted to stop in Titusville, Florida to let the boys meet their maternal Great-Granddad. They had a fun visit. Great-Granddad died September 1, 2006. What amazes and pleases Jo Ann (Krystal's Mom) is that although Krystal, Joe and the boys had a grueling and long 400 mile trip home to Jacksonville, Florida, they valued family enough to stop and spend time with both Aunt Peggy and Great-Granddad. It would have been much easier just to drive straight home, without stopping for visits. They did not arrive home until after midnight, but Krystal was so happy that the boys had met Aunt Peggy and Great-Granddad. None of us had the slightest idea that 3 weeks after these precious visits our Sweet Krystal and Mommy would be killed
by a drunk driver.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page and click on Krystal's Family Tree. Click on each picture on Krystal's Family Tree to get information about each family member.

Please go to the top of the page and click on Audio & Video to see Krystal's Memorial Slideshow that Kina created. Listen at the very beginning to hear Krystal's actual voice from her answering machine. I really like the music Kina chose. Kina also placed a star by Krystal in all the pictures with her sisters so you can tell which of "The Long Girls" is Krystal. Please also click on and listen to the Audio Clips. Each of them is unique and reminds us of Krystal.

Also at the top of the page click on Photo Album to enjoy pictures of Krystal's life. Be sure to click on Full Screen Slideshow while you are there.

Also please send me, Krystal's mom, any stories, memories, pictures or personal thoughts so I may add them to Krystal's website. On the upper right of the page you can click and send me an email. Krystal's website is a work in progress, and I would greatly appreciate your imput. While you are here, please light a candle for Krystal. To light a candle you also go to the upper right portion of the page. Or even "better" yet click above on Tributes and Condolences and share your stories, memories, feelings, or thoughts about Krystal. I have many pictures of Krystal and her family in the
Tributes Section, so please scroll through it.
Click on Time Line to see events and
pictures from Krystal's life.
Please also click on Krystal's Legacy.

Krystal's father is Glenn Arthur Long II, and her Dad's life partner is Judy Davis. Krystal's mother and stepfather are Jo Ann and Don Webb. Krystal has an older sister, Kina Long Rewis (two children, Kari and Cody), and two younger sisters, Karen Long Lanier (husband, Steven, two children, Dontae and Detrall) and Kelly Long Duke ( husband, Jon - one child, Tyler, and a new baby girl expected in September 2007). Krystal's dearest friend
is Risa Martin (son, Ryan).

When Krystal was about four years old, she was outside playing and ran inside crying to Mom. In Krystal's little hand she gingerly held a dead butterfly. Her tender heart was broken that the butterfly was dead, and sobbing she showed the dead butterfly to Mom. Krystal felt so sad that the beautiful butterfly was dead, and she began her own personal campaign to "Save the Butterflies!" She was very dedicated to her desire to save butterflies and for about 4 years she made lovely, colorful posters with hand-drawn pictures of butterflies and big letters proclaiming "Save the Butterflies!" Krystal hung her posters in our house, outside, around the neighborhood, and at school. Krystal has always been a caring, tender-hearted, compassionate person who wants to help all sentient beings.

So in Memory of Krystal, her sisters, Karen and Kelly have blue butterfly tatoos. To us, blue butterflies are now a precious symbol of our Krystal.
We each have blue butterflies around our houses in Memory of Krystal.

BUTTERFLIES

In cultures all over the world,
butterflies are thought to represent souls.

The Aztecs believed
that souls of brave warriors and
relatives visited the living
in the form of butterflies.

In Irish folklore,
the butterfly represents
a person's soul.
Its light and airy wings allows the soul
to cross into the Otherworld.

During medieval times,
paintings and sculptures of
angels showed
butterfly-shaped wings.
Unknown Author

Kelly and Jon's Wedding, September 16, 2000
L - R Krystal, Don, Kelly, Jon, Mom, Karen

Kelly's Wedding Day
L-R Karen, Kelly, Krystal

L - R - Bottom (Kelly), Middle (Krystal, Karen),
Top (Kina).
Since the girls were so close in age and activities, everyone referred to them as
"The Long Girls."
A fun summer day swimming at Kingsley Lake.

Top L to R - Karen, Kelly, Kina
Bottom L - Krystal

L to R- Krystal, Mom, Karen, Kelly