There was no other coach out there pushing you past your limits like Coach Casillas. He welcomed me into the team with open arms and it was the best feeling ever I could receive from a coach that just met me. He is the greatest coach I could ever ask for. He supported me in every meet no matter the place I finished in he would always say “Great job mijo” and those words meant more to me just because I knew I was doing something right. So many things that I am thankful for because of him all I wanted to do at the meets was to make him proud, and I hope I did that. My condolences to the casillas family. Love you Coach forever in our hearts and minds.

Too much to say about Nathan. In short, we was my mentor, confidant, brother I never had, and my best friend...he always was willing to share his love of running, always had my back, listened when I needed to vent, advise when I made mistakes, and loved me like a brother too. Thank you for the memories.

Thank you Coach Casillas for all your time with us

We were extremely hurt to hear the news about Coach Casillas. He was always there for us, constantly encouraging us to do our best. Coach Casillas inspired not only us but so many people throughout his time coaching. We will always cherish the fun times we shared with him and carry the lessons he instilled in us forever.

My condolences to Nathan's immediate family and loved ones for your loss.  It's never easy to lose a loved one but it's devastating to have it happen so suddenly and so soon.  I remember Nathan as a young child and young man - always polite and smiling.  What a wonderful legacy he leaves behind as a coach and mentor to EPHS students.  May he rest in peace.

Nathan, thank you for being our brother in law and for taking good care of my sister and the kids for the time you did.  We are struggling with your loss and wish so much that you were still here.  You will always be our brother in law and I will miss our talks about work.  Please know wherever you are that we love you and miss you and we will see you again.

My deepest condolences to Myriam, the kids, Delia, Eddie and David.  My heart goes out to you and all the people, especially young people, impacted by Nate's leadership, care and generosity.
He cherished his family and loved his chosen career.

Nate, we love you and we are deeply saddened  that you left us at all - but way too  soon.  But you also left us with a model for how to live life without sacrificing family. And with a smile reflected in your eyes. That was you. Thank you.
Rest in peace.

Coach offering my finish to you up in heaven.
I gave it my best effort just like you always told me to do. I can't believe you are no longer here. My heart is broken for your loss and I send my sympathies to all your family. Learned such valuable lessons from you. I will miss you Dearly!

I feel incredibly blessed to have had you as my coach, not only for myself but also for both of my sons. Your guidance and support have made a lasting impression on our lives. I will forever cherish the memories of your unwavering encouragement and the genuine smile you wore, which always seemed to brighten even the toughest days. Your kindness and understanding extended far beyond the sport; you taught us invaluable life lessons in teamwork, perseverance, and sportsmanship. 

Watching you connect with my sons as you did with me was a gift that I will always treasure. You have not only helped them grow but also shaped them into better individuals. Your ability to inspire positivity and resilience in all of us has left an indelible mark, and for that, we are eternally grateful. Thank you for the countless hours you dedicated to all the kids and for opening your heart to us. Your legacy lives on in all of us, and we will carry your lessons with us always.

My dear Friend.  One minute you were here and the next you were gone.  I take comfort in knowing that you are with our Lord.  Thank you for being such a great mentor for your student athletes through all these years.  Thank you for being a great friend too.  I will miss our conversations at school and your crazy laugh.   Rest in Peace my friend.

Monte & Family

Nathan, you were a generous soul and a true gentleman, always ready with a kind word, bit of advice or support, or a clever joke. Track season won't be the same without you, you will be sorely missed.

Though you’re no longer with us, your memory will always be with me. We shared a lot of years together, and I will forever be grateful for the time we shared.  Saying goodbye is so hard. Rest well, Mufasa.

We are so sorry for your loss. "Coach" Nathan Casillas chose to have an impactful life on young El Pasoans' lives, and loved his family so dearly.  This was ever apparent, as he was always in uniform- his brilliant smile. We will miss you, Nathan. 
The Coleman family

Coach Casillas you left such an impact on me and all your students. You were very supportive of me and all of my peers. You made me believe and push myself to be better person. Thank you for all you did for all of us. My condolences to family Casillas and friends. Thank you for all the memories in track and gym class we will cherish them forever. 
Sincerely
Berenice (Serrano) Bognar , Victor Serrano

My most heartfelt condolences to the Casillas family. May our Lord send you comfort in this  most sad time in your lives. Our gratitude to Coach Casillas who was always there for his team. He was an inspiration to my granddaughter Calista and  I’m sure to all his current and past runners. 
He impacted and touched many lives. May our Lord receive him into His holy kingdom and may he rest in peace.🙏

Casillas, you always pushed me to be a better student, athlete, and person. Day in and day out, you showed me an unwavering amount of kindness, patience, and gratitude. Thank you for putting me in positions to be a better leader, for teaching me how to adjust through every obstacle. Thank you for advocating for me to keep running, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you, it started because of you. You never gave up on me, even when I quit after the first week of xc season in high school, you spoke to me with such grace, passion, and fed my young runner ego. You have such a strong spirit and drive that translated into all of us. I owe you so much, I can’t imagine such a transitional period of my life any other way. I truly could not have done it without you. Thank you for being my coach, for picking me up at 5am to run with the EP running group just so I got a practice in. I wouldn’t trade our time together for the world. I miss you dearly. I hope to hear your laugh again and catch a glimpse of that black jeep once more.

Love always, 
Gianna

My condolences to the family. He was a great coach. I will still continue running, but now I run a different race in my life 🏃‍♀️ 
My High School Track Coach from 2009-2012.

Coach, 
Thank you for being one of the best coaches I could ever ask for. Over the years we became family and for that, I am forever grateful. You are, and will forever be part of the Valenzuela family. Your legacy will live on forever. You will be greatly missed. Rest in peace coach. We love you.

My condolences to the Casillas Family.  May God give you His peace that passes all understanding. Coach Casillas will always be remembered for his kindness and the impact he left on his athletes.   
Blessings.

My deepest condolences to Myriam, children and all of his family and friends.  Nathan you will be deeply missed by everyone who loves you.   Rest in peace 🙏

My condolences to the family. Nathan was such a nice & caring individual. Our paths crossed because of EPISD. He was always so kind! He was so knowledgeable & always so willing to assist me when I was rookie track coach…loved that about him! Would greet him with a huge hug when I’d see him during our M.S. soccer seasons.  You have left your mark on many hearts Coach…including mine…and because of that you will be dearly missed.

Nathan Casillas was one of the best PE coaches I have ever had. I only got to know him for about a year, but he was a very nice, loving, happy man. I remember on water day 2024, he paid for my entire meal. May he rest in peace.

My 3 grandchildren from Wiggs Middle School to El Paso High were in cross country with Coach Casillas it was a great time for my daughter and myself to watch his kids run. I saw the respect and pride he had for his runners and the respect they had for their coach. Having known coach all those years we all became family. My thoughts and prayers are with the Casillas family. He will be missed.

My condolences to the family of Nathan.  Sending prayers to you for peace and comfort during this difficult time.

Rest easy, buddy!
Always a Panther
Austin HS
Class of  1992

How  sad to lose Nathan, he was part of our family,   He grew up on our street, was always at our house, mostly to borrow music.  He was like a nephew to us, he hung out with our oldest nephew Fred , who named his son Nathan.  Followed in my footsteps in becoming a teacher and a Coach. He will be sorely missed, God Bless and prayers to him and his family!

So many memories to choose from but my favorite was when he would fall asleep on the bus but still see what you were doing. You have touched so many lives and will be missed greatly fly high Coach Casillas

Always enjoy having you with us at the movies.

I am so sorry for your loss. I just wanted to leave a note about what he meant to me as a Coach. I really struggled to find my footing as a runner in high school, yet, Coach Casillas never stopped believing in me. His unwavering support, kindness, and perseverant attitude helped me to feel hopeful amidst the failures. He never doubted me, even when I felt like I would never accomplish my goals. When I finally hit my stride, he continued to push me to even greater heights. He helped to make my cross country experience one of pure joy, and I will be forever grateful to have known him and learned from him. May he rest in peace.

Myriam and children and all the family, our condolences to you all. It is very sad to hear of his passing. May God give you strength at this time of sorrow.  Nathan is an angel now and may he be in the grace of God.  Rest in peace Mr. Casillas.

Celebrating the retirement of some amazing teachers!

We were taking a little break from our athletes after an extremely long track meet and they found us!

OBITUARY

Nathan Casillas

January 22, 1974 – October 8, 2024

Martin Funeral Home

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