Mary Scullin

To her relief and to our great sorrow, Mary Castillo Scullin, will finally no longer be teased about burning the ribs just that once back in 1990. Aged 65 years, 6 months, and 12 days, she passed away on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 after an extended battle with COPD.

The eldest child of Dr. R. Robert Castillo and Ruthella Spencer, she grew up with her siblings in Albuquerque, NM. One of the few women in UNM's EECS program, she would work at Sandia National Laboratory, then move east to New York City to work as a programmer at the New York Times. Living in New York City, she met William Scullin, her husband of 40 years. They went on to raise four children together and welcome spouses, partners, and then grandchildren to the family -- and her family was always first in her heart.

An autodidact and polymath, when she took something on, she’d master it. Somehow, while raising a family, Mary would find time to excel as an artist, accountant, horticulturist, cook, and woman of letters. A woman of strong opinions, she would be very disappointed that many people still can't trim a crepe myrtle without butchering it, yield at an offramp, or use a turn signal. She had been looking forward to the end of the pandemic and going to the library, Waffle House, and the garden centers and plant shops of Baton Rouge. She would tell you to cook for the ones you love, stand your ground, and take no wooden nickels.

Mary is survived by her father, Dr. R. Robert Castillo; her husband, William Scullin; her children, William, Chessa (William and grandchildren Mary, Annie, and Liam), James (Desiree), and Matthew; her brothers, Richard (Deb Conlon), Michael (Annette), and Charles (Jane); brother-in-laws Chris Mangold, James Scullin, and George Scullin; her uncle Leonard Castillo; twelve nieces and nephews; and, numerous cousins. She was predeceased by her mother, Ruthella Castillo; her uncles, Leo Castillo, Earl Spencer, Charles Spencer, and Philip Spencer; aunts Gloria Castillo Kadison and Marian Spencer Lynch; her sister, Kathryn Mangold; and, her sister-in-law, Joan Bento Castillo.

Visitation will be at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 from 2:00-5:00 pm on Saturday, March 6th with religious service to follow. Donations in Mary’s memory may be made to the American Red Cross, the University of New Mexico School of Engineering, the COPD Foundation, or the Garden Club of Baton Rouge.

Friends and family may sign the online guestbook or leave a personal note for the family at www.resthavenbatonrouge.com