Ltc (Ret.) John H. Castles

LTC (Ret.) John H. Castles, age 84, of Carlisle, passed away Saturday, March 31, 2018 in Heritage Harbor at Claremont Nursing & Rehab Center.
He was born in Mechanicsburg on December 1, 1933 to the late Hugh Witherow and Mildred Ruth (Heastings) Castles and was the widower of Jimmy Ann (Cooper) Castles who passed September 5, 2016. He lived in Dillsburg until the age of 15 when the family moved to Carlisle. While in Dillsburg, he earned the Eagle Scout designation on December 26, 1950, one of the first for Troop 38.
John graduated from Carlisle High School, Class of 1951, where he met the love of his life, Jimmy Anne Cooper, whom he would marry on September 3, 1955. John enlisted in the United States Air Force in June of 1955 and retired as a Lt. Colonel in June of 1974. John spent much of his career as an instructional pilot and honorably served his country in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and his master’s degree from Shippensburg University.
After retirement, John was an accounting and economics professor at Shippensburg University. In 1979, John went to Wilmington College and started an aviation management program and became the Dean of the Aviation College.
John was an avid bicyclist and a member of the Harrisburg Bike Club for many years. He and his riding companion, Len Cole, often road together throughout Cumberland and Adams counties. He enjoyed spending time with his family, his high school, both Dillsburg and Carlisle, classmates and the lifelong friends from his Air Force career.
He is survived by: two sons, David Cooper Castles of Carlisle and Michael Hugh (wife Susan K. Henry) Castles of Boiling Springs; two grandchildren, Allyson Castles (husband Joseph) Karnavas of Austin, TX and Andrew (wife Callie Salvisburg) Castles of Boiling Springs; and a brother, Lee (wife Isabel) Castles of Boiling Springs.
A Service of Witness to the Resurrection will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 13, 2018 at Hoffman Funeral Home & Crematory, 2020 W. Trindle Road, Carlisle, PA with Rev. Dr. Jeffrey W. Gibelius officiating. Interment will follow at Cumberland Valley Memorial Gardens with full military honors being provided by the Cumberland County Honor Guard. There will be a visitation at the funeral home on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the services.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bosler Library, 158 W. High Street, Carlisle, PA 17013.
To sign the guestbook, please visit www.HoffmanFH.com