Ivonne D. Carrillo

Ivonne D. Carrillo, age 72, and beloved wife, mother, and abuela, passed away on November 24, 2021, due to complications stemming from her battle with breast cancer. She has dealt with numerous medical issues throughout her life, but she has always dealt with them with grace and optimism, and her latest diagnosis was no different. Ivonne was born in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, and grew up with nine siblings, first while living on a ranch, then at a school run by nuns, and finally in the city of Chihuahua. Known for her determination and persistence, Ivonne was admired for her volleyball skills in high school and college, and the story goes that she was not selected for the Mexican Olympic team because she was too short. Nonetheless, Ivonne dreamed of becoming a pediatrician and earned her degrees from the Preparatory School at the University of Chihuahua. It was during her time in medical school when she met her future husband and fellow doctor, Arturo Carrillo.

Once married, Ivonne and Arturo moved to Amarillo, Texas – her home for over 40 years. Ivonne and her husband had two children, Arturo and Ricardo, and she loved being their mother. She made the difficult decision to not become a doctor in the U.S. to devote her time to her children. Family has always been important for Ivonne, and she made frequent visits to her family in Mexico, most especially to see her cherished mother. All her life, Ivonne was known for her spectacular cooking, with her enchiladas, tacos, and chile rellenos being frequently requested; her love of travel to fantastic places across the United States, Europe and even Egypt; her amazing sewing skills (she loved to cross stitch!); and her talents in gardening. Every morning you could depend on Ivonne to enjoy her coffee while eating a baked good (there wasn’t a cookie she didn’t like) and playing her obsession: Sudoku. Family came to Ivonne for advice knowing that she would always tell them the truth, whether or not it was what they wanted to hear.

In recent years, Ivonne was a strong advocate and volunteer with the Make a Wish Foundation and helped children fulfill their biggest and smallest wishes. She was compassionate with others and believed in the best of who they are and who they could be.

Above all, Ivonne loved being an abuela to her four grandchildren: Iván, Luis Arturo, Diego, and Aurelia. She was their greatest cheerleader and her only disappointment when she received her cancer diagnosis was that she could not see them all grow up to adulthood.

Ivonne was preceded in death by her mother, Clemencia; her father, Gildardo; her brother, Raul; her nephew, Rogelio; and her nieces, Ethel and Lorena.

She is survived by her husband, Arturo; her siblings, Irma, Homer, Elida, Gildardo, Blanca, Noel, Elsa Neyvi, and Thelma; her children, Arturo (and his wife Kristyn), and Ricardo (and his wife Susan); her stepchildren, Paty (and her husband Luis Alberto), and Claudia (and her husband Kirill); her four grandchildren; and dozens of beloved nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, at 11 o’clock in the chapel at Boxwell Brothers Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please donate to St. Jude Children’s Hospital to help Ivonne fight for the lives of children as she has done during her life.

The link to view the funeral via livestream: https://www.facebook.com/BoxwellBrothersFuneralDirectors/live/