Crista McCormack

1951 - 2025

Crista McCormack
02/16/1951 - 11/08/2025
Crista McCormack, née Crista Lynn Kiefer, died at home in Austin at the age of 74.

She was born at Offutt Air Force Base outside Omaha, Nebraska, to Byron D. and Ardith N. Kiefer. The family spent her early childhood years in southern California, principally Covina. She moved to Austin with her parents and four brothers (Stuart, Stanley, Mark, and Russell) in 1961, when she was ten years old.

Crista graduated in McCallum High School's class of 1969 and went on to earn an associate's degree in nursing from Brackenridge Hospital's program, before Austin Community College took over the degree. She worked as a nurse in the emergency room at Brackenridge throughout the 1980s, then at Seton Hospital in various departments. After retirement from nursing, she completed a bachelor's degree at St. Edward's University and was a regular substitute teacher at the University of Texas Elementary School. In recent years she volunteered regularly at the Thinkery.

After forty years' residence in Austin's Zilker neighborhood, she moved in 2015 to the Wildflower Terrace apartments in the Mueller neighborhood. Neighbors, staff members, and friends remember her as a cheerful fixture around the building and an avid puzzler in the second floor's game room.

Crista's passions were caring for others, especially children, and promoting education, especially reading. She shared with her parents and siblings a lifelong love of the outdoors. Her commitment to enjoying and preserving natural spaces extended to camping, bird-watching, and supporting environmental organizations. Among her favorite places were Big Bend and the Davis Mountains in far western Texas and the Sawtooth Mountains and Snake River in Idaho.

Crista was the proud mother of four sons and grandmother of two grandchildren. She was preceded in death by both her parents, by her brother Stuart, and by one son, Ian G. McCormack. She is survived by Jason S. Maloy and Christie L. Maloyed, of Lafayette, La.; Alex M. and Stephanie McCormack and their two children, Glenn and Haley, of Elgin; and Mark D.J. McCormack, of Elgin.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at the Barr Mansion (10463 Sprinkle Rd.). The family requests that, in lieu of sending flowers, friends and family consider making a donation to the Thinkery or the Nature Conservancy.