SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WLOS) — A Spartanburg woman is looking back on the life and legacy of her best friend, a Hendersonville community leader who founded the Black Business Network of Western North Carolina.
Crystal Cauley, 44, died suddenly Sunday, June 16. Her best friend, Yashara Lynch, spoke with News 13 on Friday, June 21. She said Cauley was being treated for high blood pressure, but her family is still waiting on a medical examiner’s report for an exact cause of death.
Lynch said Cauley spent her entire life giving back to her community in every way she could, with humility and grace. Cauley broke barriers, leading the charge to have Black History Month officially recognized by the city of Hendersonville. Through her founding of the Black History Collective of Henderson County, Hendersonville saw its first Juneteenth proclamation.
“A lot of times, she wouldn’t mention people. She’d just say, ‘I know of someone or a family that may need’ — she let the people keep their dignity,” said Lynch. “She was never really one to say what she’d done. People gravitated to her because she had just this peace to her.”
HENDERSONVILLE BLACK COMMUNITY LEADER, ACTIVIST CRYSTAL CAULEY DIES
A significant portion of Cauley’s work in her community involved helping Hendersonville’s small businesses in every way she could.
“She’d say, ‘Okay, a new restaurant is open.’ She’d put it up on her site, we’d eat there and talk about the food,” Lynch said. “Just bringing in different people and new people to share these experiences and grow businesses.”
As for the legacy she leaves behind, it grows in all of the good she gave.
“I don’t really know what the end goal was, but she wasn’t stopping,” Lynch said with a smile. “That’s what I do know. She really loved it.”
Cauley leaves behind a 24-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter.
She will be laid to rest on Saturday, June 29. A viewing will be held at Grace Lutheran Church in Hendersonville beginning at noon and is open to the public.
