Conan Jennings Castle

1927 - 2025

Conan Jennings Castle, 97, of Foxwood Springs in Raymore, Missouri passed away April 12, 2025.
He was born June 19, 1927, in Ashby, Nebraska, the son of Jennings Young Castle and Mabel Luella Johnson Castle.
On March 17, 1951, he was united in marriage to Patricia Helen Roop in Wichita, Kansas, a marriage that spanned 63 years.
Following graduation from North Platte (Nebraska) High School, he was drafted into the United States Army where he played trombone in the 90th AGF Band in Camp Robinson, Arkansas and The Army Ground Forces Band (now The Army Field Band) stationed in Ft. Meade, Maryland. He attended Doane College, and received his bachelor's and master's degrees in music from Northwestern University and his Ph.D. in musicology from the University of Michigan. His teaching career included one year at Northern State Teachers College in Aberdeen, South Dakota and six years at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska. He joined the music faculty of Central Missouri State College (now University of Central Missouri) in 1959 where he conducted two choirs and taught voice, conducting, choral techniques, and music history. He retired in 1989 as Professor Emeritus of Music.
Active in church music, he was director of the choir at First Christian Church in Warrensburg for many years. Conan was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Warrensburg where he was ordained an elder and sang in the Chancel Choir during his retirement years.
During his last years he lived at Foxwood Springs in Raymore, MO, where he played trombone in the Foxwood Brass quintet, believed to have had the oldest average age of any brass group in the country.
Survivors include three children, Randall Castle and wife Jan of Lee's Summit, Carolyn Gordanier and husband Ron of Weaubleau, and Bruce Castle and wife Mary of Albuquerque, New Mexico; seven grandchildren, Ross Banta of Republic, Lance Banta of Blue Springs, Bryce Banta of Blue Springs, Nicholas Castle and wife Michelle of Westford, Massachusetts, Adam Castle and wife Amy of Lee's Summit, Emily and David Castle of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and eleven great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, his second parents, and his sister Joan Aines Castle Bauer.
A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 206 N. College St. in Warrensburg at 1:00 PM on Friday, July 18, 2025. The family will receive friends at the church from 11:30 AM until service time.
Memorial contributions are suggested to First Presbyterian Church in Warrensburg in care of the funeral home.