Emma Laurel Casso

March 4, 2018

Emma Laurel Casso passed peacefully from earthly life at her home and entered eternal life with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 4, 2018. She was born on June 11, 1927 in Laredo, Texas She graduated from high school at Holding Institute in Laredo at the age of 15, and from the University of Mary Hardin Baylor in Belton at 18. She returned to Laredo after graduating from college and became a high school teacher. There she met Ramiro Raul Casso, and they married in 1949. They soon began a family and left Laredo in 1950 to enable her new husband, then a mechanical engineer, to pursue further educational opportunities. Over the succeeding years, their growing family moved from Waco to Dallas to San Antonio and finally to McAllen, where her husband, who had become a medical doctor, opened his medical practice in 1957. Mrs. Casso worked at her husband's office in various capacities over the years, and had many personal interests, including reading, music and traveling. But her passions were simple: she loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and she loved her family. She loved her Lord unconditionally and was grateful for all the blessings she received. She spent many hours studying the Bible and had an insatiable appetite for the insights it provides. She served Him in many ways, including as a Sunday school teacher, pianist and church leader. Her calling to love her family provided her children with moral support and encouragement, and allowed her to teach them both by tutoring and by example. This love also enabled her to fully support Dr. Casso's numerous medical, civic and political endeavors. But she always aspired to live a simple life of selflessness, in relative privacy, so that she could focus more completely on her passions. Mrs. Casso was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Dr. Ramiro Raul Casso; her parents, Octavio Laurel and Alicia Laurel; and by her sisters, Elvia Laurel and Gloria Fullerton. Left to cherish her memory are her five children: Thelma Casso (Pete) Morales, Lydia Casso (Ken) Tummel, Sylvia Casso (Larry) Elizondo, Daniel (Araceli) Casso and David (Vicki) Casso; and by ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren. The Casso Family is thankful for the kind and loving assistance provided to Mrs. Casso in her home by Nereida Hernandez, Yolanda Garcia, Olga Lara, Karina Hernandez and Iris Molina Rubio. Visitation will be held on Friday March 9, 2018 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Kreidler Funeral Home in McAllen. A funeral service will take place on Saturday March 10, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at Kreidler Funeral Home with Pastor Shannon Talley officiating. Burial will follow at Roselawn Cemetary in McAllen.