Alice Castillo Cortez

Alice Hizon Castillo Cortez, known as "Baby" to her family, joined her beloved husband in heaven on June 12, 2024. To know Alice is to know faith, generosity, and forgiveness. She was a “glass is always full” person. Through her life, she taught others to see the silver lining, focus on the positive, and live in joy and faith. God was the pillar of her life and the driving force in all her actions. Her life was a testament to the power of positivity and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Born in the Philippines on May 30, 1931, she loved to share stories of her childhood, filled with joy, adventure, and mischief, despite living through WWII under Japanese occupation. In her 93 years, she recounted Liberation Day (the end of WWII in Asia) as the happiest day of her life.

Alice graduated from the University of the Philippines and became a teacher. She immigrated to a segregated USA in the 60s and settled in Charleston, SC. There, she taught some of Charleston’s poorest children and brought joy to many at Sanders Clyde and James Simmons Elementary schools in downtown Charleston. Her PE classes and field days were widely renowned across the county. Among the many things she taught her students, her dance unit, in all its forms, was widely popular. For field day, the whole school would dance in unison to choreographed steps of the waltz, tango, Filipino folk dances, and modern dances.

She and her husband Len built a life in Charleston, where they lived out their American Dream. They were very proud of their home and parish, St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church. Over 60+ years, they devoted a lot of time, talent, and resources to help establish St. Thomas. They both sponsored many seminarians into the priesthood. Alice also helped organize a rosary prayer group that met weekly for years. In her last years, it was her friendships with these ladies that helped sustain her. She was an active member of the Filipino Cultural Center of Charleston and lived long enough to realize her dream of having a facility where Filipinos could gather to promote, preserve, and share their culture. She taught others the traditional form of Filipino folk dances, believing that to be called “folk,” it had to be traditional and unaltered.

Alice loved her extended family very much. Over the years, she sent annual care packages with lots of gifts for everyone in the Philippines. One of her favorite things to do was speak to them on the phone, retelling stories and catching up. She was fiercely loyal to her family and was always aware of how and what everyone was doing. She was the family historian and storyteller, knowing everyone across multiple generations.

She and Len traveled the world after they retired, and the memories and experiences they had together were part of her core and highlights of her life. Her regret was not taking time to travel more.

She left behind her niece Roseann and her husband Jeff, their children Ashley, Maddie, and Zach, her nephew Manny and his wife Marris, and all her extended family and friends. She is now joyfully reunited with Len, all her deceased family and friends, and God, whom she loved with all her soul. The world is not the same, and she will truly be missed.

A Visitation will be held June 21, 2024 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Carolina Memorial Funeral Home, 7113 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, SC 29406. A Catholic Mass will be held on June 22, 2024 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm at St. Thomas Catholic Church, 6650 Dorchester Road, North Charleston, SC 29418. Burial to follow at Carolina Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks to support Alice’s endeavor by donating to “Moms in need” in her honor to The Catholic Charities of SC.

For credit card donations: https://charitiessc.org/donate designate “moms in need”

If you'd like to send a check, please make a note in the check memo “moms in need”

Mailing address for check donations:

Catholic Charities of South Carolina

901 Orange Grove Road

Charleston, SC 29407