Kristi Renee Pankratz

Kristi Renee Pankratz
(May 16, 1980 - July 9, 2025)
With profound sadness, we announce the death and Homecoming of Kristi Renee Pankratz, a beloved wife, nurturing mother, treasured daughter, courageous sister, doting aunt, foster mom, and steadfast friend. Kristi was the beloved wife of Seth Pankratz and the dedicated mother of her five sons: Joshua (17), Andrew (15), David (13), Daniel (10), Micah (9), and four additional foster children who benefitted from her love. Kristi poured her love, energy, and faith into nurturing her family. Her home was both an oasis as well as a vibrant classroom filled not just with lessons in history and science, but with priceless life lessons designed to foster creativity, integrity, and perseverance.
Born on May 16, 1980, to Ronald and Charlotte Bystrom, Kristi grew up alongside her loving sisters, Michelle and Jennifer. She attended West Windsor-Plainsboro High School in New Jersey, excelling in her classwork, leading her marching band as a drum major, and volunteering her time to serve others in her classrooms and communities. As a little girl, Kristi dreamed of becoming: (1) a missionary; (2) a pastor's wife; and (3) a mother. Her dreams and aspirations were fulfilled as she ministered on college campuses and in various countries such as Ethiopia, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines; married a pastor; and then went on to become an amazing mother who poured her life into her children, encouraging them to become world-changing men of faith and integrity.
Kristi loved making memories with her family, hiking, curling up with a good book, visiting Ocean City NJ, family camp at Word of Life NY, savoring ice cream, collecting sunflower decorations and baby gear, cute furry animals, cross-stitch projects, the Princess Bride, and the 1980 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Kristi loved her church family, encouraging others, and playing the cello with the praise team at Calvary Bible Church. After she was diagnosed with metastatic cancer in 2023, she was asked about what she would want to put on her 'bucket-list'. Her reply was: "I am already doing exactly what God wants me to do where God wants me to do it."
Kristi viewed her battle with cancer as an opportunity to glorify God and choose joy in every circumstance. God used her trials to inspire and encourage many others who were fighting cancer and other serious hurdles. Her tremendous team of caregivers at the Foley Cancer Center, Dartmouth-Hitchcock, Rutland Regional, and UVM demonstrated extreme compassion and expertise as they both fought to extend Kristi's life and alleviate her suffering.
Kristi's life was a beautiful example of the profound impact of trusting God through every circumstance. The most precious thing in the world to Kristi was her relationship with Jesus Christ. As a little girl, she came to recognize that because Jesus went to the cross to pay the penalty for sin, conquering death, and rising from the dead, the only life that mattered was eternal life to be found in and through Him. Kristi chose joy and is now experiencing the true joys of eternal life because as an eight-year-old girl, she surrendered control of her life to Jesus Christ. Kristi will be dearly missed, but the lessons she instilled in those who had the privilege to be touched by her life will continue to bear fruit for generations to come.
Two identical worship services designed to honor God through Kristi's testimony of faithfulness will be held at Calvary Bible Church in Rutland, VT on Sunday, July 20, 2025 at 8:45 AM and 10:30 AM. In lieu of flowers please consider supporting a ministry that was important to Kristi such as: Calvary Bible Church (cbcvt.org), Word of Life (wol.org), Phil Waldrep Ministries (philwadrep.org), First Step Pregnancy Center (firststeprutland.com), and Cru (cru.org).
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