Emma “Nené” Carlstein Illarramendi

Emma CarIstein Reyes de Illarramendi, known as “Nené” to many in the family, passed away in Bethesda, Maryland on June 19, 2026. She was 93.

Born in Schenectady, New York on March 25, 1933, she was the beloved wife of Ramón Adolfo Illarramendi for over 60 years, until his death in 2022.

A graduate of Wellesley College and Maryland University, Emma worked as a Children's Librarian with Montgomery County Public Libraries for over 30 years. She served on the board of Carroll Publishing (now Carroll Media) and was active in the American Library Association, REFORMA, and her Catholic faith community, including the Church of the Little Flower in Bethesda. Through her work, Emma helped promote literacy, cultural programs, and equitable access to resources for immigrant and Spanish-speaking families across the region. Her lifelong commitment to education and community service touched countless lives.

She is survived by her children Adela, Pablo, Francisco, and John Peter (JP) Illarramendi, her daughters-in-law Patricia Strasser and Maria Josefina González-Miranda, her son-in-law Alan Ball, her grandchildren Morgane (& Yannick), Paula, Ignacio, Margot, Mariana, Santiago, and Antonio, her great-granddaughter Gabrielle, and many faithful relatives, colleagues and friends. We all miss her terribly and we are so grateful for her generous, joyful, loving life.

A funeral Mass will be held at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at the Church of the Little Flower (5607 Massachusetts Ave, Bethesda, MD 20816).

In lieu of flowers, we believe Emma would have preferred that contributions in her memory be made to Caritas International for victims of the earthquakes in Venezuela: https://donate.caritas.org/en/venezuela; or to one of her favorite organizations, Centro Tepeyac Women’s Center to support women and families facing unplanned pregnancies: https://centrotepeyac.org/donate/