Charles A. 'Chuck' Castle

Jan 3, 1918 - May 1, 2009

STEVENSVILLE Charles A. "Chuck" Castle, 91, passed away Friday, May 1, 2009, at his home in Stevensville. The body has been cremated. A memorial service will be Wednesday, May 6, at 11 a.m. at Riverview Park Christian Church 2929 Niles Road, in St. Joseph with the Rev. David Stout officiating. Memorials may be made to the Riverview Park Christian Church the Berrien County Shrine Club, and Shriner's Crippled Children Foundation in care of the Saladin Temple in Grand Rapids, or Hospice at Home, St. Joseph.

Charles A. "Chuck" Castle was born Jan. 3, 1918, to Edwin W. and Annastasua Josephine Kopicki in South Bend, Ind. He married Margaret A. Holmbergon on May 9, 1948.

Chuck was the former senior vice president and member of the board of directors of the Inter City Bank, now Chemical Bank. His banking career began in 1946 with the St. Joseph Bank and Trust Company in South Bend. In 1953 he was made an assistant vice president of the Union State Bank of Buchanan.

He, Eitel Eberhard and Al Hosbein were instrumental in merging that bank with the Benton Harbor State Bank, forming the Inter City Bank. He moved from the Buchanan office to the Benton Harbor office in 1963. He completed banking courses at the University of Notre Dame, the University of Virginia, and Harvard University in Boston. He was elected to the Board of Directors at Inter City Bank in 1968, a position he held until he retired in 1980. Chuck was a veteran of World War II, and served as a tank commander before transferring to the U.S. Army Air Corps where he served as a flight engineer on a B-29 Superfortress and flew 25 combat missions over Japan. He was the recipient of the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross. His group was also awarded two presidential citations.

He was a member of the Riverview Park Christian Church where he served as a deacon and an Elder. He was a member of the St. Joseph Masonic Lodge 437, Valley of Grand Rapids Scottish Rite, the Berrien County Scottish Rite Club, Shriners Saladin Temple of Grand Rapids and a member of the Berrien County Shrine Club. He was also a charter member of the Michigan Sheriff's Association and the 3 9th Bomb Group.

He is survived by daughters, Colleen A. Castle of Baroda and Cheryl L. (Fred Fanslau) Castle of Stevensville; grandsons Kevin C. Hicks, Steven R. Hicks and Daniel B. Hicks; and great-grandson, Alex C. Hicks.

Chuck was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret; his brothers, Orville and Wayne Castle; and by his sister, Helen Castle.

The family has been served by the Dey-Florin Chapel of Florin Funeral Service, St. Joseph.

Sources: Ancestry.com and Newspapers.com

12/22/2025 EJS