Wilmot V. "Jerry" Castle

Castle, Wilmot V., Jr. "Jerry"

Rochester: June 28, 2012 at home at the age 90. Predeceased by Frances Emilie Morse, his wife of 52 years. He is survived by his wife Jean Chapman; children, Robert (Barbara) of Rochester, Edward (Anne) of Charlotte, VT and Katharine (Ahmad) Shadman of Derwood, MD, eight grandchildren; Jennifer (Christopher) Streeter, David, Jeffrey, Ned and Rooney Castle, Mehri, Steven, and Tony Shadman, stepchildren; Tim and Peter Chapman and Polly Chapman Parker.

He attended Allendale and Brighton schools, Phillips Academy Andover and Yale University '46. During World War II he served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces. Jerry began working at the Wilmot Castle Company in 1947, a company his grandfather began in Rochester in 1883 and became president in 1964. He worked for Ritter Pfaudler (1967) and the Sybron Corporation (1968-1981). After retiring, Castle shared his professional talents by volunteering at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, and serving on the board of directors at The East House and The Friendly Home. In 1975 Jerry was a part of a group of local businessmen who purchased the Rochester Amerks hockey team, avoiding the team's pending departure or demise.

Jerry's passion was sailing. He began competitive sailing in the 1940s on 14 International Dingy, continuing on 6 metre, Star and Soling boat classes. His accomplishments in one design racing have been respected by the international sailing community throughout his life. At the age of 68 he was invited to be on the 1989 U.S. Sailing Team Soling Class. In 1984, Jerry was chairman of the Tall Ships Festival for the Rochester sesquicentennial celebration bringing and hosting over twenty tall ships to Rochester's shores. Jerry was commodore of the Rochester Yacht Club 1961-1962. He was awarded the club's first Commodore Emeritus in 2010 recognizing his life-time achievements on the racecourse, sportsmanship and contributions to the sport of competitive sailing. Jerry was known as a skilled competitor on the water and a skipper who could quietly bring out the best in his crew. Many of Rochester's top sailors have learned the set of a sail, an eye on the wind, and the skill of gentle leadership through Jerry's tutelage.

Friends may call Sunday, July 1st, 2-5 PM at the funeral chapel (2305 Monroe Ave.). A funeral service will be held July 2nd, 2 PM, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 25 Westminster Street. Interment at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Visiting Nurse Hospice, 2180 Empire Blvd., Webster, 14580.