Stephen Christopher Castle died on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, of cardiac failure and pneumonia, after a 9-year battle with cancer. Steve was born on January 24, 1955, to Alice Kern Castle and Robert Marvin Castle in Pampa, TX. He grew up in Bakersfield, CA, attending Highland High School, University of Arizona (B.S. Public Admin), Western State University College of Law (J.D), National University (Secondary Teaching), and University of Memphis (M.S. Ed Leadership). He played quarterback at the University of Arizona and was a member of the S.A.E. fraternity. Steve married Ellen (Richardson Leiter) in 1988. They followed each other's careers from Southern California to Memphis, TN, Santa Rosa Beach, FL, Scituate, MA, and Jacksonville, FL. Steve taught high school and college level Social Studies - American History, Government, Economics, Business Development, and Aviation Law to name a few. In his final years of teaching at Sandalwood High School (DCPS), he taught dual enrollment courses for Florida State College of Jacksonville, Edward Waters College, and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. His classroom ceiling was filled with over two hundred airplane models built by his students over the years. For this reason, his classroom was a frequent stop on school tours, and he had the great honor of having the U.S. Navy Blue Angels visit his classroom on several occasions. Steve coached many sports over the years - football, basketball, softball, baseball, and soccer. Football was his favorite of all; he loved the strategy and physicality of the game. Showing his passion for the sport, he had the opportunity to be head football coach at five schools during his career. Prior to becoming a teacher at age 32, while living in San Diego, Steve expressed his entrepreneurial spirit by starting The American Tax and Law Center with friends from law school. Subsequently he opened the first Big Olaf ice cream stores in eight locations and was a partner in Tuba Man's Sports Bar. In Memphis, he opened the Memphis Sports Pub. Steve is survived by his wife Ellen of 35 years, their two children, Catherine Grace Castle and Robert Stephen Castle, and his sister, Jacky Castle Spears of Dallas, TX. He was preceded in death by their beloved Schnoodles, Snickers and Baby Ruth, who we know greeted him at the Pearly Gates! Steve will be remembered for his sense of humor and his almost encyclopedic memory. He loved discussing politics and sports, telling jokes with friends, reading, taking a drive, going to the beach, and writing clever, lengthy, humorous texts to friends and family. Steve imbued his children and wife with a love of American history through their many road trips across the county, stopping at EVERY historical marker and often reenacting a historical event on site. One of his greatest personal thrills was to run up Omaha Beach in France, as if he were a soldier in WWII, and to imagine the courage of those men. He took these experiences into the classroom and brought history to life for his students. Steve authored a book, Common Sense for America in Crisis discussing his ideas of how to fix various issues from taxation to education. He was immensely proud of this accomplishment. Steve loved Disco, R&B, Soul, Elvis and a spin on the dance floor with Ellen. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2023, 6 pm- 9 pm at The Barn, 531 N Wilderness Trail, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082. Please RSVP here: https://pp.events/a8J5Abe5. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Dr. Stephen Castle Senior Scholarship Fund: https://gofund.me/2e7676fb
