Obituary

On January 23, 2025, with family by his side, Gerald Frank Castle passed peacefully after suffering a brain aneurysm. He was 87 years old.

Jerry was born at home in Grand Rapids, Michigan and was raised on a farm outside Trufant, Michigan. He graduated from Lakeview High School in 1955. To raise money for college, he worked for two years at Federal-Mogul automotive part factory with his dad, and hired himself out to farmers during harvest after he purchased a combine. While attending Central Michigan University, he participated in the competitive men’s trampoline team and joined the Phi Sigma Epsilon fraternity. A fraternity brother introduced him to Mary Kiander. They wed on January 28, 1961 in Cedar Springs, MI. Both graduated with teaching degrees, and began their careers in Houghton Lake, and Ravenna, Michigan. Soon after, their three children were born, Dan, Jim and Jen. Adventure called, specifically Alaska, and the whole family spent the summer of ’68 in Wrangell so Jerry could help build his brother Ron’s house. His love for work, fishing and hunting had him hooked on Alaska. His dream of living there became a reality when the next year an industrial arts job came open at Ketchikan High School. He took it and they moved “kit and kaboodle” to Ketchikan. To help make ends meet, he also worked for Northern Bus Company and drove a school bus on a morning route before his day of teaching metal shop and welding.

Jerry loved work and never took the summers off. He always found some kind of job where he would help build something, run equipment or fix motors. Of course, he always found time to go fishing and hunting, especially with family and friends. He was a long standing member of Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad and Shoreline Volunteer Fire Department. He was truly saddened when the city annexed Shoreline Drive and dismantled SVFD. The sign still hangs in his garage.

The year before he retired from teaching, he lived out another dream and bought a troller, the Diamond A. He absolutely loved fishing and enjoyed his “retirement” for over ten years. After selling his boat, he went on immediately to his next “retirement” adventure purchasing a boom truck with his son, Dan. He was always ready to jump in his truck to help folks with big jobs, from lifting roofing trusses to hauling seine skiffs to placing hot tubs. He especially enjoyed tricky jobs, helping wayward vehicles and equipment that slipped off the roadway.

Jerry was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Mary Castle, parents Frank and Ada Castle, brother Ron Castle, brother-in-law John Crawford, brother-in-law Andy Kiander, and sister-in-law Martha Jean Kiander.

Jerry is survived by his sisters Marcia Crawford and Connie (Duane) Petersen, sons Daniel (Jennifer) Castle and James Castle, daughter Jen (Bill) Whicker, beloved grandchildren, one great grandchild, and many nieces and nephews.