Mrs. Hilda Smith Casin

Hilda Louise Smith Casin, of McComb, MS, died on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, July 3, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Christ Temple Church Of Christ Holiness in McComb, MS. Funeral Services are scheduled to follow at 12 noon with Elder Willie N Jenkins officiating. The burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Mrs. Casin was born September 23, 1929, in McComb, MS. She was the only daughter of Willie B. Smith and Ruth May Bonds Smith. Mrs. Casin was a member of the first Burglund High School’s graduating class of 1948. In 1950, she received the associate degree from Southern Christian Institute located in Edwards, MS. In 1959, she was awarded the Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Elementary Education from Jackson State University. During the summer of 1962, she was awarded a National Science Foundation Grant to attend Depauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. In 1967, she was one of nineteen participants selected to attend a month-long computer assisted instruction institute at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. In 1969, she completed the requirements and was awarded the master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Mississippi. In 1977, she received the Education Specialist degree from University of Mississippi. She was the first African American inducted into the University of Mississippi’s local chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an honor society in education. She retired from the field of education after serving 50 years. Forty of those years were spent with the McComb School District and ten years were spent with Wilkinson County School District. Her teaching experience started in Crosby, MS where she began as a classroom teacher and was promoted to teaching principal. The consolidation of schools closed that school site. Her services in the McComb School District include being a classroom teacher at Taggart Elementary and Westbrook Elementary, Principal of Taggart Elementary, Assistant Elementary Supervisor, Elementary Supervisor, and Central Office Administrator as Chapter I/ Title I Director. She has held membership in many of the professional organizations such as MAE/NEA, International Reading Association, Mississippi State Reading Council, McComb-Pike Reading Council, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Mississippi Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and others. She has also served on committees at the state level, as well as, visiting committees to evaluate schools throughout the state. She was also chosen to serve on a panel to respond to “Mastery Learning Concepts” presented by the noted Dr. Benjamin Bloom at Tupelo High School, Tupelo, MS. She accepted Christ as her personal savior and was a life member of Christ Temple Church where she served as Deaconess, Sunday School Superintendent, Adult Sunday School teacher, Trustee, Financial Clerk, and in other capacities as needed. Her commitment to community service led her to serving as a member of the McComb Library Board, the Railroad Depot Museum Board, The McComb Historical Preservation Commission Board, The Pike County Teachers Federal Credit Union, NAACP. Her desire to inspire and encourage young people to realize their potential resulted in their establishing Black History. Her interest in the promotion of educational excellence among youth has resulted in five (5) area students receiving scholarships to the school of their choice. Four of the scholarships were from her personal funds. Since her retirement in 2000, she has converted a “Drug House” into Pike County’s First Black History Gallery. This site contains a treasure of historical information and artifacts. It has a Board of Directors and is incorporated with the State of Mississippi and the IRS. It has a very small account with Regions Bank and graciously accepts donations. Mrs. Casin was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Silas Casin Jr., and her daughter, Dr. Sylvia Casin-Brown. Survivors include her grandson, Justin Emery Armstrong of Laurel, MS, son-in-law, Lee Wesley Brown of Brookhaven, MS, The Thompson Family, The Brown Family, The Barnes Family, The Pickett Family, The Harris Family, The Dillon Family, The Duncan Family, a special granddaughter, Erica Magee of McComb, MS, and two god sons, Kenneth Wayne Chester and Kevin Brown, special cousins, church family, former students, co-workers, neighbors, and friends. Please share online condolences at www.craftdillonfuneralhome.org.

Mrs. Hilda Smith Casin

September 23, 1929 - June 26, 2025