Baylor Grieves Loss Of Alumna Honoris Causa

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Esteemed for her servanthood and generosity, Mildred Cornelius Carlile of Marshall, Texas, will be dearly missed. Mildred passed away Aug. 4 at the age of 86, following a lengthy illness.

Honored as an Alumna Honoris Causa - the highest distinction awarded by Baylor University to individuals who did not graduate from the university - Mildred Carlile championed the cause of education by giving generously to Baylor.

Having established the Quinton B. and Mildred C. Carlile Endowed Scholarship Fund, students are already benefitting from the resources that will continue in perpetuity. Baylor's Hankamer School of Business and academic scholarships in various disciplines also benefitted from Mildred and her husband's gracious support. They are recognized as members of the Old Main Society and also are in the Emerald Circle within the Endowed Scholarship Society at Baylor.

"Mildred Carlile lived a life of servanthood," said Bill Dube, director of Baylor's Endowed Scholarship Program. "She considered others before herself and gave freely to meet other's needs. She valued education, preservation of history, the beauty of art...and above all, people. Mildred's love and compassion will not be forgotten."

Mildred and her late husband of 64 years, Quinton Carlile, BBA '47, were driven by a passion to support the institutions dear to their hearts. Mildred attended the College of Marshall before moving to Waco, where Quinton earned his degree from Baylor. They became longtime residents of Marshall, Texas, where they raised their family to value service and philanthropy.

Survived by three sons and their wives, Ken (BA '69, DDS '73, PhD '96) and Celia Carlile, Steve (BBA '73, JD '75) and Penny (BA '73) Carlile, and David (BBA '72, JD '74) and Susan Carlile; six grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren, the Carlile family's generosity to Baylor and their local communities has been remarkable.

Inspired by their parents' philanthropy, Mildred's three sons were instrumental in the creation of the Quinton and Mildred Carlile Geology Research Center at Baylor that was built in 1981. For 26 years, the facility served as vital space for student research and proudly displayed the Carlile name - a name that represents vision and generosity. Rebuilt in 2008, the new Carlile Geology Research Building is a state-of-the-art facility that strengthens the geology program to better equip its dedicated students.

Mildred and Quinton's philanthropic spirit also carried into their local community, where they were the driving force behind the restoration of the historic courthouse in Marshall, the establishment of the Michelson Museum of Art and the completion of the Marshall Civic Center auditorium. They also were faithful contributors to East Texas Baptist University, Marshall public schools, the local hospital and the Boys and Girls Club, among other local organizations.

Mildred was a devout member of First United Methodist Church and was active in the Marshall Art League, Belle Maison, the Marshall Garden Club and the Marshall Symphony League. A talented artist, Mildred's works have been exhibited in galleries in Dallas, Shreveport, Longview and Marshall, as well as in numerous private collections in the east Texas area.

A celebration of Mildred's life will be held at Michelson Museum of Art from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 6.

Media contact: Lori Fogleman, director of media communications, (254) 710-6275