Crystal Rebecca Cobble

Crystal Rebecca Cobble, beloved mother, wife, teacher, volunteer, nature lover and world traveler, passed away on December 22, 2024, at the age of 70 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Her husband of 43 years, Kevin Cobble, was by her side until the end.

Crystal was known and loved for her joy, kindness, huge heart, vibrant soul and adventurous spirit. She was born on May 7, 1954, in Tacoma, Washington, to Leslie Eveleth Collins and Millicent “Gertrude” Collins. She grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, Arlington, Virginia, and Phoenix, Arizona. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Northern Arizona University and began her teaching career in Arizona, where she met her husband, Kevin. They married on October 10, 1981, at Green’s Peak. Crystal later returned to NAU to earn her master’s degree in education while raising their two young daughters.

Crystal impacted so many students’ lives over her 37-year career as a public-school teacher in Arizona and New Mexico. She taught elementary and middle school and taught in both English and Spanish. She also taught math workshops for educators across the country and traveled to international workshops in Argentina and Spain.

Before and after retirement, Crystal dedicated her time to helping others. She volunteered at the Fountain Theatre, served in a local PEO chapter, was a member of a book club, and campaigned across the state for New Mexico Democrats. After surviving a triple bypass operation in 2016, Crystal became a Champion for WomenHeart, advocating in Las Cruces and on Capitol Hill for women with or at risk of heart disease.

Traveling with her family and friends was Crystal’s favorite thing to do, and because of her talent for planning incredible vacations, she was often told by her loved ones that she could have been a travel agent in another life. She had a deep curiosity for the world and made the most of every day and was always up for new experiences. Crystal loved hiking and being outdoors, and she took many road trips across the country with her family and visited as many public lands and national parks as she could. In retirement, she and Kevin traveled every few months and toured 10 countries together. One of her favorite places on Earth was the Grand Canyon. She hiked to the bottom of the canyon 10 times, including four times after her bypass surgery.

Family and friends were so important to Crystal, and she loved bringing people together, whether it was traveling to see them or hosting parties and organizing get-togethers. She brought her beautiful smile, positivity, love, joy and contagious laugh everywhere she went.

Crystal will be lovingly remembered by her husband Kevin, her daughter Kacy Paul and her husband Garrett Paul and their daughter Nora, her daughter Sara Burleson and her husband Micah Burleson, her sisters Caryll Kyl and Cindy Beerling, brothers Clifton Collins and Leslie Collins, and her many cousins, nieces and nephews. She is joined in rest by her mother, Gertrude, her father, Leslie, her grandparents Clifton and Anna Collins and William and Rebecca Wilson.

A celebration of life will be held for Crystal at 4:30 pm on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at the Fountain Theatre, 2469 Calle De Guadalupe, Mesilla, New Mexico. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Crystal’s honor to WomenHeart, womenheart.org or the Friends of the Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, friendsofbosquedelapache.org.