Resident of Walnut Creek Thomas Ralph Castles II passed away on January 12, 2025, at age 87, in Walnut Creek, California after a valiant battle with bladder cancer. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri on October 27, 1937, to parents William Albert and Mildred Alyce Castles. He was a long-time resident of Walnut Creek, California.
“Tom” as he was called by friends and family attended school in his home town of Dallas Center, Iowa. He graduated from Dallas Center High School in 1956, graduated from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa in 1960, then graduated from the University of Iowa after completing his master’s and doctorate degrees. Tom’s Ph.D. was in pharmacology.
He was employed by Midwest Research Institute in Shawnee Mission, Kansas before moving to Walnut Creek where he was employed by ICI, Inc. which later became Zeneca, Inc. in Richmond, Ca. He was a board-certified toxicologist when he retired as manager of AstraZeneca’s toxicology lab in 1994. He finally retired as CEO from Protox, Inc, in 2002.
Tom is survived by his wife Faith and former wife, Janell, his two sons: James Castles and wife Anita, Thomas Castles III and Alison, daughter Pamela DiBasilio and husband Richard. He has two stepsons, James Pemberton and wife Monica, Brad Pemberton and Hollie.
Also surviving are his brother William (Bill) Castles, cousins, nephews, and nieces.
He has nine grandchildren, Alex Whittaker, Mathew Law, Steele and McCallan Castles, Tanner Pemberton, Addison and Davis Castles, Lyle Pemberton, and Hannah Pulliam. He is also survived by two great granddaughters Callie Jo and Millie Ann Whittaker, plus one great grandson Finnick David Law.
He enjoyed photography, gardening, casinos, and vacations.
One of his greatest joys was attending his grandchildren’s activities which included football, volleyball, dance, baseball, and soccer. His favorite saying was, “I may have to grow old, but I never have to grow up.”
He loved taking his children fishing and camping every summer and made sure they enjoyed the best 4th of July and Christmas holidays. He loved fishing from his first fishing trip to Minnesota with his parents and brother until his last fishing trip with his wife and stepsons’ families to the Colorado mountains.
Tom made friends along life’s path and never lost his zest for working in the yard, fixing things that needed repairs, and retelling stories of his children, grandchildren, and friends’ adventures. A Celebration Memorial of Tom’s life will be announced and held this summer.