Allan Castillo Obituary

Allan Paul Castillo

Oct 6, 1939 - Sep 19, 2024

Huron

Allan Paul Castillo was born Oct. 6, 1939, in Bronx, New York, and went home to be with our Lord Sept. 19, 2024, in Huron, just shy of his 85th birthday.

He was known as Al to his work associates and was affectionately known as Pauly by his brothers, sisters and nieces and nephews.

He spent his childhood and teenage years growing up in Jamaica Queens, New York and graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in St. Albans, New York.

He embarked on a lifelong love of world travel by enlisting in the United States Air Force in August of 1960, where he was deployed to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing.

His first duty station was Itazuke Air Base in Fukuoka, Japan, where he was engaged in Intelligence Operations as an analyst with Top Secret clearance. He performed the duties of identifying threats to and targets for military assets in the regional theater of operations.

This was a role he enjoyed and took very seriously, as evidenced by the fact that he never shared any information about these activities with his family and took every detail of them into his afterlife.

He performed additional duties as a TV and radio production specialist. He also became a popular DJ on armed forces radio for the region, a role that he enjoyed very much. His personal favorite artists were Sam Cooke and Chuck Berry, whom he also listened to as he was preparing to report to his final Heavenly duty station.

Once he left Japan, he reported to his second duty station at Ramstein Air Base located in Rheiland-Pfalz, Germany, where he met the love of his life, Isabella Maria Saum.

When he was finally discharged from the Air Force in May 1965, he returned home with his duffle bag, a new bride who could barely speak English, and his first son, Michael.

Once he returned home, he utilized the GI Bill to endeavor to build a highly accomplished life both academically and professionally.

He started his academic journey at Norwalk State Technical College, receiving an associate degree in Arts and Sciences in Chemical Engineering.

He then attended the University of New Haven, where he obtained a bachelor of arts degree in Chemistry. He remained on the Dean's list throughout his time there and was a member of the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honors Society.

He then attended University of Connecticut, obtaining a master of science degree in Corrosion Engineering/Metallurgy.

He started his professional career at Union Carbide Corporation in Tarrytown, New York as a laboratory technician.

As his education progressed, so did his professional journey. His next role was as a senior corrosion research engineer at the Olin Corporation Metals Research Laboratory in New Haven, Connecticut.

He then moved his family to Ohio, where he became the director of research and development at Sandusky International Inc. and started his journey in the pulp and paper industry. While there, he developed and patented two new stainless steel metal alloys, an accomplishment he was proud of.

His next role would be as a senior group leader at CC Technologies in Dublin, Ohio.

His final role before retiring as a for-hire consultant would be as the senior departmental engineer and corporate consultant at the International Paper Company in Loveland, Ohio.

He ended his professional career by leveraging his vast industry knowledge by starting his own consulting firm - Casteel Technology Services, which would find him as a subject matter expert for corrosion and reliability engineering and performing consultancy to the Department of Defense through the University of Akron.

He was widely published in trade journals for the pulp and paper industry and was a member of the Papermaking and Corrosion Control Project Advisory Committees at the Institute of Paper Science and Technology in Atlanta, Georgia.

Additionally, he performed Adjunct Assistant Professor duties in the Department of Technology Systems at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, and was a co-chair and advisory board member of the College of Technology at Bowling Green State University-Firelands College in Huron, Ohio.

Some of his enjoyable personal activities included advising Inner-City High School and Rural Elementary School Math & Science Programs, where one of his students was accomplished Pro Football player Orlando Pace.

He loved the Japanese culture and language he was exposed to while in the military and wanted to share it with others. He did so by teaching Japanese to the local Ford Motor plant staff in Sandusky, Ohio.

His many endeavors illustrate that he possessed a high drive for accomplishment and was exceptionally dedicated to supporting his family, traits which he passed on to his children and grandchildren. He was greatly interested in all his children's and grandchildren's endeavors and would inquire about what they were working on next.

Anyone who knew Al or Pauly will remember his abundant and gregarious personality. He enjoyed interacting with people, especially with humor and laughter.

His family holds and cherishes the many fond memories of all the family get-togethers and holiday gatherings where humor, laughter, and love filled the room, and his presence will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Isabella; infant daughter, Dominique; parents, Baltazar Cruz and Louise (Carruthers) Castillo; two brothers, Peter Castillo and Barry Castillo; three infant granddaughters, Katelyn Castillo, Kaitlyn Byington, baby girl Byington; and one infant great-grandchild.

He is survived by his children, Michael (Lori) Castillo, Monique Castillo and Eric (Millie) Castillo; six grandchildren, Dominic Castillo, Christian Orshoski, Mason Castillo, Nicholas Byington, Gabrielle Castillo and Olivia Vogus; three great-grandchildren, Parker, Paisly and Ellie; two sisters, Laural (Kenneth) Barron and Carolyn (Howie) Neckin; and one brother, Richard Castillo; and numerous nieces and nephews.

His family wishes to extend their sincere Thank You to the staff at The Meadows of Osborn Park, where he spent the last few years of his life. He enjoyed his stay there, and the staff made him feel at home. He was especially excited that Dr. Vaschak allowed him to rekindle his love of being a DJ by allowing him to emcee some of the facility's resident parties.

Additionally, the family wishes to extend their sincere Thank You to the staff of Buckeye Hospice who helped him transition to his next duty station comfortably and peacefully.

Please make donations in Allan's name to any institution of higher learning, any research facility engaged in Dementia or Alzheimer's research, The Meadows of Osborn Park, or Buckeye Hospice.

Family services will be private.

Pfeil Funeral Home, Sandusky Chapel, 617 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky, has been entrusted with arrangements.

Moshi Moshi Pop and Godspeed