Helen Scott Savage

August 29, 1923 - May 15, 2006

She was known as Mama, Mom, Tia Helen, Aunt Helen, Helen, Professor Savage and La Reina - the Queen.

Helen Scott Savage went to be with our Lord on Monday, May 15, 2006. Born on August 29, 1923 in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico, to Elena Chellet Gilland and Franklin Worth Gilland.

She was the first-born child of a family of 6 children and the first born grandchild of the Chellet Family.

As the daughter of a Texan oil-man and French-Mexican mother, and traveling to and from Mexico to San Antonio with the family for pleasure and business, Helen was exposed to both cultures and became tri-lingual English, Spanish and French. At the age of 11, an active gymnast and boisterous child, Helen became one of the many victims to succumb to Infantile Paralysis now called Polio, an epidemic that swept the country.

She persevered through the pain of physical therapy with sheer determination and slowly regained the movements of her legs.

It was during this time of her life that she developed her passion for Opera, Jazz, and classical music; during her bed confinement, she would listen to the Saturday radio broadcasts of the New York Metropolitan Opera, a love she retained until the day she died.

She attended Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas for one year. Subsequently in 1941, she graduated from Ursuline Academy in San Antonio, Texas. After graduation, she attended junior college at the newly opened Mexico City College, where she graduated as student class president in it's first graduating class. She taught English for one year until she left to attend Mount Saint Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas, on scholarship. In 1946, she graduated Magna Cum Laude and as a member of Kappa Gamma Phi the American Catholic Universities Honor Society, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature.

Upon her return to Mexico City, she began teaching English language and literature at the American School of Mexico City. After a several years, she returned to Texas to accept a teaching position at Sam Houston State Teacher's College in Hunstville, Texas, and continued teaching English Literature. As she taught, Helen became inspired by Latin American Literature and returned to Mexico City for further research. Helen continued her studies and completed her Master's degree at Mexico City College in Latin American Literature. Her Master's thesis on the Nicaraguan poet, Ruben Dario, was met with much literary acclaim and her extensive bibliography was used by academics for further research and analysis for many years. While in Mexico City and an active member of the Newman Club she met her future husband, and bridge partner, Dr. Francis "Frank" Benjamin Savage PhD. On August 27th, 1955, Helen and Frank were married in San Antonio, Texas at our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and had their wedding reception at Oak Hills Country Club.

The couple returned to Mexico City and both taught at Mexico City College. For the next 39 years, they collaborated together throughout their marriage on Frank's research and publications. She was a master editor and proof reader. Her attention to accuracy both in content and grammar, were second to none. Helen's drive for excellence in academics was a passion she carried throughout her life and ambitions.

On May 8, 1960, the couple met with joy the birth of their son, David Christian Savage. For the next 14 years, Helen took the role of mother and caretaker to her son and husband. The family traveled throughout the US as Frank took teaching positions and while Frank was posted as the Director of the Institute of International Education IIE, they spent several years in Lima, Peru.

As her son David became a young man, Helen returned to teaching at Harlandale High School, as well as The Keystone School. Shortly there after, she became a member of the American Association of University Women when she began teaching at San Antonio College, Our Lady of the Lake University and finally twenty-five years at the University of Texas in San Antonio UTSA.

It was during this period, that Helen was honored as a Who's Who of American Teachers. She retired from the Division of Foreign Languages at UTSA, on May 6, 1996. She continued to edit and proof various publications for many years after her retirement.

Helen was passionate about music from Jazz to Opera: Her favorite arias were from La Bohéme and Madame Butterfly. Her favorite Diva was Grace Moore, an American. Having grown up during the Depression and World War II, movies were was always a pleasurable escape, and some of her most endearing box office heroes, were Nelson Eddy, Jeannette McDonald, as well as none other than Clint Eastwood - Dirty Harry himself! Having had the gift of almost flawless photographic memory, she could quote beautiful poetic verses from Byron, or Browning and her personal favorite, William Wordsworth.

In 1981, Helen and her younger sister, Magdalena, took a tour of Europe and made a special visit to England's lake district to visit the sights of some of her favorite poets.

For the past several years, Helen had been suffering from the crippling and insidious effects of Post Polio Syndrome. Her sister, Sister Mary Benet Gilland the order of Medical Mission Sisters, had been her primary friend and caretaker. Preceded in death by her husband Frank, Helen is survived by her son, David and her siblings, Sister Mary Benet Gilland, Franklin Joseph Gilland, Magdalena Chellet and David Duard Gilland, their families and friends.

Helen will be remembered with love as the Matriarch of the Gilland family and the keeper of its history. We will miss her but we know that she is now in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.