Chrissy Barnett (Vandever) was born on April 4, 1978. She went to Schwartz Elementary school in Oklahoma. She graduated from Carl Albert High school. She ended up becoming a government contractor working at Tinker Air Force Base. She passed away due to liver failure on October 24, 2021, with her family loving her and surrounding her.
Chrissy had two lives. One pre-surgery and one post-surgery. Pre-surgery she lived a healthy, happy life. She had worked hard to obtain the life that she had always dreamed of having. Chrissy was freshly married, had just purchased her first home, obtained a job a government contractor, and was raising her favorite person on Earth, her son Justin. Chrissy was a mother, daughter, sister, and friend. But most importantly, she was a fighter. In 2004, she had come to find a softball-sized tumor growing on her liver. She had undergone surgery to remove the tumor, at this time, her surgeon severed her hepatic artery and instead of addressing the issue, sewed her back up and sent her on her way, leading to a world of other problems. She had been moved to a transplant waiting list and waited for several months before getting a liver. During this time, she had fought a hard fight for nearly a year, in and out of ICU whilst getting sick and fighting for her life. Her life was spared, as a donor made it possible for her to get a transplant ahead of schedule. Post-surgery, she had fought many new battles for another hard 16 years of life. Pre-surgery, she was selfless, carefree, easygoing, and was an absolute lover of life. She was always the happiest person in the room, you could spot her in a crowd of a million. Her smile could brighten up the worst of days and she was there to pick you up when you were down. She was always joking and laughing, a free spirit to say the very least.
Post-surgery, she was as quirky as always, but you could notice something…different. Nobody knew it at the time, but her life had been changed forever. She lived life differently knowing she had an earlier expiration date than previously known. She spent the rent of her time here on Earth trying to find justice for herself as a victim of malpractice. She fought through neglect, slander, and mistreatment coming from every direction, but she did so willingly and forcefully. She fought every day until her liver gave up on October 24, 2021. The night before, she smiled her last smile she was able to conjure up, directed to her son, Justin. She gathered all her strength to raise her arm one final time and wrap her son in the most loving embrace of a hug. She lived for him. Although she was withered and tired, she made herself a goal to see her only son succeed before she passed on. She was there to witness her only son graduate and move forward with his life, starting college and developing a family. This was more than she had ever asked for. She is truly the strongest woman that any of us ever had the pleasure of meeting, and it was downright amazing to see her go through everything she did without backing down. She carried out one more amazing act of selflessness by going all out on Christmas 2020. She told us that it would be the last Christmas with all of us together and she wanted it to be one to remember. I don’t think anyone knew exactly what she meant by that, but she had known at that time that her body was growing more tired and weak, and she was not able to fight the same fight she once had.
She had a selfless nature at heart. She was a fighter, she never gave up, even when the world was stacked up against her. We try to ease our hearts and minds with knowing that she is no longer in pain, suffering or living in fear of anything.
She is going to heaven to meet with her great grandpa and great grandma William and Harriet Comstock, Papa Charlie and Nanny Jobyna Vandever, Papa Lee, Uncle Ronnie Jernigan and many more family and friends.
She is survived by her mom and dad, Wayne and Naomi Vandever. Grandma Barbera Miner, her son, Justin Wagnon, granddaughter Aspen Rose LeAnn, brother Shawn Vandever and Sister, Tracy Pursell, niece Kayla Pursell nephews Ryan Vandever, Jason Pursell, Cole Vandever, Kyle Brumbach, and Troy Brumbach.
A memorial service for Chrissy will begin at 1:00 PM on Saturday, November 20, 2021, at the John M. Ireland & Son Funeral Home & Chapel, located at 120 South Broadway Avenue in Moore, Oklahoma.
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