Carolyn Scopacasa

Carolyn Scopacasa lived a full and happy 97 years and then passed very peacefully to her eternal home on November 8, 2025. She was anxious to be reunited with her husband and to meet her Lord and Savior.
Carolyn was born on August 17, 1928 in Portland, Oregon and raised in the Fulton neighborhood of SW Portland, now known as John's Landing.. Her father Domenic Piro was an immigrant from Aprigliano, Italy and her mother Emma (Petrone) Piro was born in Portland, but whose parents were also Italian immigrants. She graduated from Terwilliger Elementary School and Commerce High School (now Cleveland HS). Carolyn had one younger sister, Alice, whom she cherished and was her dearest friend.
Although they knew each other as kids, Carolyn became reacquainted with Sam Scopacasa upon his return from the Navy in 1946 and this is when their love story truly began. No longer kids, they quickly fell in love and were married on June 1, 1947. In 2017, they celebrated a remarkable milestone, 70 years of marriage, before Sam passed away peacefully five months later at the wonderful age of 95.
Throughout their lives, Sam and Carolyn created a warm and welcoming home. Most of their married life was spent in their SE Portland home, which Sam along with his father and brother built, then later they moved to Gresham. They remained devoted members of the St. Ignatius Catholic Church community, where their faith was central to family life. All four of their daughters graduated from St. Ignatius Grade School, as well five of their grandchildren.
Most of her life, Carolyn was a stay-at-home Mother, raising four daughters, volunteering at church, chauffeuring her daughters to classes, practices and school activities, or cooking up an Italian feast and entertaining a multitude of family and friends! After her girls were all in school, Carolyn worked part-time at White Stag and later just for fun she worked at the Donut Shop at Lloyd Center. But no matter what kept her busy during the day, she was always home in time to prepare a homecooked dinner for her husband and children (and sometimes a friend or two). The backdoor into the kitchen was always open and friends and relatives were always welcome!
Carolyn and Sam enjoyed traveling. Some of their favorite spots included Reno and Lake Tahoe, Hawaii, Canada, Chicago, all around the Great Lakes, Italy and of course to their family beach home in Gearhart. Many of their trips involved visiting relatives. Family was the forefront of Carolyn's life. She enjoyed loving relationships with her entire large family. There were of course the annual traditions of baking Christmas cookies or gathering the entire family in the basement to make homemade ravioli's and Italian sausages. She canned too many jars of peaches, pears, tomatoes, jams and more, to count. Carolyn was the consummate homemaker and took great pleasure in caring for her husband, children, extended family and dear, life-long friends.
Carolyn had a contagious laugh. She was a great story-teller but could never get through a story without fits of laughter. Upon hearing her laugh through her own stories, you couldn't help but cry with laughter yourself.
Carolyn was also famous for her Momisms. She was so quotable, and usually it was a very funny one-liner! It didn't even seem like she was trying to be funny, it's just what came out! A journal should have been kept with her one-liners! Well, she now has a whole new audience to entertain.
She was upbeat, happy and just loved her life. Even as age started slowly taking away her ability to cook, bake, run errands, or hop in the car and visit loved ones, she still had a zest for life.
Her last years were spent in the care of her daughters, living with her youngest for just over 4 years. She continued to have a steady stream of visitors for lunch or coffee and sweets (her favorite). If she didn't have visitors, she was on the phone chatting away, always wanting to hear how people were doing or just to reminisce. She loved being surrounded by her family and friends who continued to shower her with love.
Carolyn was preceded in death by her loving husband Sam; her parents; her sister, Alice Amato; in-laws Vincent and Victoria Scopacasa; niece AnnMarie; nephew Vincent; as well as the most recent death of her niece, Susan Amato. She leaves behind a legacy of love through her four daughters - Victoria (Steve) Cunningham, twins Debra Price and Donna Scopacasa and Sandra Rich, along with nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and countless cousins and friends, each of whom she adored.
Though her loss is deeply felt, we find comfort knowing Sam and Carolyn are reunited, at peace, and forever in our hearts. We will never think of Carolyn without a twinkle of laughter to warm our hearts.
She will be deeply missed by all whose lives she enriched. Thank you for loving us, thank you for our lives.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church. The Rosary will be recited at 10:30 a.m., followed by the Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow at St. Philip Neri, Carvlin Hall.
Donations may be made to the St. Ignatius School Foundation. https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/SaintIgnatiusSchool/Foundationonlinegiving.html