Carmen Casillas Scott

Maria del Carmen Casillas Scott, Ph.D., “Carmen,” was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico to Juan José and Antonia Casillas on July 30, 1924 and passed away on April 14, 2014 in San Diego, California. The family emigrated from Mexico during the Persecution in 1927 and moved to El Paso, Texas, where they established residency and citizenship. Carmen was the first of eleven children and the “Little Mother” to the rest of the children. She met and married her only love, Charles J.C. Scott on April 13, 1947 in El Paso, where their three children were born. Her children are Charles E. Scott of El Cajón, CA, John Robert Scott, M.D., of Fallon, NV, and Mary Kathryn Scott of Chula Vista, CA.

Carmen attended both Catholic and public schools in El Paso. She received her B.A. and M.A degrees from Texas Western College, now the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), and her Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She spent her career in education as a practitioner at the community college level managing programs and teaching at Imperial Valley College, and as a testing expert/consultant with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton, New Jersey and Los Angeles, California.

While her husband served in the Military, they lived in different parts of the country as well as in Japan, where she became an ardent admirer of Japanese history and culture. She developed proficiency in the Japanese language, and later mastered Russian and French.

Upon her retirement from ETS, the family moved to Imperial Beach, CA, where she lived to the end of her life. She was a lifelong member of St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, and was an active member in the Third Order of the Carmelites. She participated in their prayer life and enjoyed volunteering with different projects at the Monastery of Carmel in San Diego. She enjoyed the singing, prayer and adoration of Our Lord as much as time allowed.

An avid reader all her life, her book collection was a life-long special project. She was a volunteer at the Chula Vista Library for many years after her retirement and was always eager to read bestsellers, as well as to research historical topics related to the immigration experience and the cultural and linguistic challenges immigrants of her family’s generation faced in the USA. She became an expert historian on the subject and was in the process of writing a family history when she became ill.

Carmen was preceded in death by her parents and younger brother, Lucius Casillas of El Paso, TX. She is survived by her husband, Charles J.C. Scott of Imperial Beach, CA; son Charles E. Scott (Chuck) and wife, Jean of El Cajon, CA, and Dr. John R. Scott and wife, Debbie of Fallon, NV, and daughter Mary Katherine Scott of Chula Vista, CA. Her surviving grandchildren include: Jason and Lucas Scott of Yuba City, CA, Luree Scott of El Cajon, CA, Jessica Scott of New York, and John Allen Scott of Santa Barbara, CA.

Her surviving siblings include: Salvador (Lupe) Casillas, Luis (Yolanda) Casillas, Josephine Casillas Ross, Mary Helen Casillas McMinn (John), Lupe Casillas Lowenberg, Juan de Dios Casillas (Paula), all of El Paso, TX, and Maria Casillas (Gary Yoshinobu) of Sherman Oaks, CA. She also leaves behind numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins living throughout the United States and Mexico.

Letter to the Carmelite Members:

Our sister in Carmel , Carmen Scott OCDS, was born in Guadalajara , Mexico on July 30, 1924. She fell in love with Charles Scott Sr. to who she was married for 67 wonderful years. Together they provided a loving and nurturing home to their children Charles Jr., John, and Katherine. Not only was Carmen an accomplished wife and mother she was also accomplished academically holding a Masters Degree in Linguistics and a PhD in Philosophy.

She took the devotional name Maria Antonia de Jesus upon receiving the Scapular November 20, 1988, made her First Promise November 18, 1990, Definitive Promise November 2, 1993, and personal Vows on May 21, 1995. A soft spoken very humble woman with an outgoing loving personality she was a true friend and delight to all who met and knew her. She remembered everyone’s name which endeared her to us all. Our regret is that our younger members did not have the privilege of knowing Carmen – she was the epitome of a Carmelite life well lived.

During the past several years she began to fade, gradually leaving all else behind as she journeyed towards her God and heavenly reward. Maria Antonia de Jesus , the angels welcomed you on April 14, 2014 and now you rest in peace.

Janie

Blessed are those who died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.

Eternal rest grant Carmen, O Lord.

May she rest in peace. Amen.

May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Arrangements under the direction of Goodbody Mortuary 5027 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92115. (619) 582-1700