On June 11, 2026, Ruben Enrique Castillo passed away in his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was surrounded by his daughter Shiela Rene, Granddaughter Erica, Great grandsons Harrison, Christopher, Bennett. He was born on July 13, 1938, in El Paso, Texas.
Ruben proudly served his country in the Navy for over 20 years. After retiring from the armed forces, he continued to serve his country as a Heavy Equipment Instructor in Civil Service for over a decade.
He was an amateur boxing enthusiast and enjoyed opportunities to perfect his marksmanship. In quieter times, Ruben could be found cooking up a storm in the kitchen, crafting ceramics and leather goods, or tinkering under the hood of a car.
Ruben enjoyed nothing more than a good round of shenanigans with his great-grandsons, Harrison, Christopher, and Bennett, who kept him young at heart and on his toes.
Preceded in death by his parents, Manuel and Maria Sofia Castillo, brothers Rene and Benjamin, sister Antoinetta Castillo Chavez, daughter Terry Leigh Graves, and grandson Clayton Alley Schoenecker.
His legacy lives on through his sister, Martha Castillo-Garcia, daughters Tammy Miley and Shiela Castillo, granddaughters Corina Manrique, Sara Graves, Amber Thompson, and Erica Castillo, grandsons Andrew Jarrell and Kenny Jarrell, and numerous great-grandchildren.
A celebration of Ruben’s life will be held in El Paso, Texas, at a later date, where stories will be shared, glasses will be raised, and his memory will be cherished.
