Renaldo Castaldi Sr

1947 - 2020

PLATTSBURG, MO - Renaldo Castaldi Sr passed away on December 22nd, 2020 due to complications from COVID-19. He was born April 11th, 1947 in Woonsocket, RI, the second son of Domenico & Jeannette (Desrochers) Castaldi. He grew up in Blackstone, MA and attended Blackstone Schools. In high school he joined the Navy ROTC. The Vietnam War began his senior year and he made the decision to join the Army. He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan and when he returned state-side, he was stationed at the Nike Missile base in Gardner, KS.

While stationed in Gardner he met Diane Widmer, a nurse at the local hospital. They were married and had two sons; Renaldo Castaldi Jr and Todd Anthony Castaldi. When the boys were young, Renaldo Sr helped with Boy Scouts and the family attended Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Gardner. After completing his first Army tour, he joined the Army Special Forces and served until a leg injury at Airborne jump school ended his time with the Army Green Berets.

Renaldo drove trucks for 24 years with Safeway and served as the President of the Teamsters Union in Kansas City. He also attended JCCC and obtained a degree in Electronics. During this time, he also served with the 24th Marine Regiment as a Sniper, Communications Chief, and Motor Transportation Chief and completed his final tour of duty in Desert Storm in 1991. He retired with the Marine Corps after serving 20 years in the military.

Renaldo also drove trucks for The United States Postal Service and retired as a dispatcher in May of 2020 in Kansas City. He enjoyed deep sea fishing with his brother Domenic and visited family in New England often.

He was preceded in death by his parents Domenico & Jeannette (Desrochers) Castaldi. His brothers Tony and Dino Castaldi and his sisters Phyllis Kennelly and Jackie Boudreau. He is survived by his brother Domenic Castaldi, sons Renaldo Jr and Todd Anthony Castaldi, former wife Diane Sawyer, his grandchildren Maddison, Justin, Joey, Cara and Cameron Castaldi, and his partner Cheri Bunnell, her daughter Wendy Bunnell, and Wendy's children Cheyanne, Cash, and Cayse Fitzpatrick.

Services for Renaldo and a celebration of life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Wounded Warrior Project.