Jacqueline "Jackie" Fields Castell wasn't a native of Texas, but she got here as quick as
she could. Raised all over the country, she called Connecticut and Illinois home for the
longest periods of her childhood. While living in Connecticut as a teen, she was known
to drag race her mother Mabel's Cadillac against the boys who didn't think a girl would
or could race them. During one of these races, Jackie managed to scratch the Cadillac
for which her mother promptly blamed her father, Jeff, for. Rightfully choosing silence,
she let her parents go to their grave without ever correcting them since the scratch was
never forgotten and a frequent sore spot with Mabel. Jackie's brother, Gary Fields, who
was 10 years her senior, also agreed that this was the smartest course of action since
her father Jeff had already been accused and "done the time" with Mabel.

Upon graduating high school, Jackie went off to Oklahoma State University to study
retail management. After having too much fun during her first year at college, it was
decided that she transfer to Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana
to be closer to her parents who had recently relocated to Baton Rouge for her father's
job. It was there in Hammond, Louisiana that she met James "Jim/Jimmy" Kelley Castell
through a mutual friend, Claude Fowler, Jim's roommate. Claude was not eager to
introduce them due to him thinking they would not get along. Jim persisted and Claude
finally introduced them. Claude was wrong and they immediately started dating.

Jim Castell, being the stereotypical poor college kid, earned his spending money
playing piano and organ at various churches in the nearby area. He was unable to
afford a meal plan at school and just ate whenever possible or went home for meals in
nearby Ponchatoula, Louisiana where his parents lived. Jackie, always willing to help
with anything and everything (and this allowed them to spend more time together), lied
to her father about how much the meal plan had actually increased in price so that she
could buy one for both herself and for Jim. This plan worked, Jim didn't become
malnourished and they were married January 23, 1966 upon Jim's graduation from
SLU.

Jackie, being a year younger than Jim, still had a year of school left at the time of their
wedding. She postponed her final year of college in order to move to Chicago with her
new husband. She would not get to return to college for another 19 years, but would
eventually get her college degree after raising children and making a life with Jim.
Jackie's honeymoon with Jim was the drive from Ponchatoula, Louisiana to Chicago,
Illinois. Upon arriving to Chicago, Jim immediately had a meeting with his new boss at
the top floor restaurant in a Chicago skyscraper. Because Jackie was barely 20 years
old, she wasn't allowed to enter the restaurant with Jim due to their 21 year and older
policy. Jackie was forced to wait in the lobby until the now brief meeting was over. From
there, they wasted no time, and just over a year later had their first child.

Sheri Castell Ragan burst onto the scene February 9, 1967. A true bundle of joy (and
energy) she kept the new parents very busy, but not so busy to keep them from
welcoming another child barely a year later. On February 21, 1968, Robin Castell Walstad was added to the mix. After a brief hiatus, the parents added their third and final child, Michael "Scott" Castell on July 23, 1970.

Over the next 18 years, the focus was on raising their children, perfectly dividing their
time between all three kids diversified interests, ensuring that no one ever felt neglected
nor ignored (Sheri music, Robin athletics, Scott academics). Family road trips were a
regular occurrence for the family of five and Jackie played the soundtrack to their lives
on those trips: Fleetwood Mac, Dolly Parton, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Barbra
Streisand, The Eagles, Willie Nelson, America, Bread, Captain & Tennile, The Doobie
Brothers, Air Supply, Jimmy Buffet, Chicago, Gerry Rafferty, Billy Joel, and so many
more. Deciding to return to college during Scott's last 2 years of high school, that
devotion to raising her children didn't falter (with Sheri and Robin both in college as
well), even arranging Scott's college visits and freshman move-in around a semester
abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico to finish her Spanish language credits at SLU.

After Jim's passing and having spent over 20 years devotedly raising children and
moving to a new home about every two years, Jackie and her best friend Denise
Stevens, moved to Texas. They built a new community of Houston friends, and
eventually, all three of Jackie's kids found their way to live in Texas, with Sheri & Robin
calling Houston home for nearly 25 years and Scott, moving constantly, managed to be
in Texas randomly for 16 of the last 25 years. It was in Houston that Jackie manifested
her outgoing vibrant self, both inside and out, working for M. David Lowe, Compaq and
Metro, where she eventually retired from.

Jackie was always "put together" and loved wearing bright colors. She was sometimes
referred to as the "mother of many colors" due to the fact that she loved to wear so
many bright and sometimes obnoxious colors. If she could wear several colors at once,
that was even better. As time takes its toll on Jackie, her feet were eventually unable to
fit into the cute shoes one normally wears in a professional setting. To replace these,
Jackie chose bright colored sneakers that would amazingly match some if not all colors
in the outfits she was wearing. When downsizing occurred from her residence in
Tomball to a facility with more supervision, she had well over 100 pairs of these bright
colored sneakers, each having a specific outfit they were dedicated to.

Her devotion as a mother paled in comparison to her role as grandmother to her
granddaughter, Savannah Castell. Doting on Savannah was a skill Jackie mastered
quickly. It often left Savannah's father, Scott constantly saying "this is not the person
that raised me" after seeing how Jackie loved to spoil Savannah. Jackie and Savannah
had many rituals, as Jackie helped to raise Savannah when a parent was working.
Getting frozen custard at Connie's to secretly satisfy Jackie's sweet tooth, even though
it's because Savannah asked to go or going to the movies, which they shared an equal
love for, and trips down to the neighborhood pool were just a few things they did
together. Their biggest ritual was shopping for Savannah's back to school clothes before
she went back to Colorado at the end of her summers in Houston. It was a week or two
long event that had everyone wondering if they left any clothes behind for the other kids to buy for school. This was an Olympic event that covered a few of Jackie's biggest
loves, Savannah, and shopping!

Jackie passed away on Wednesday, July 24, 2024 after a long, heart-breaking period of
physical and mental decline inflicted on her by dementia and Alzheimer's. A service and
celebration of life for Jackie will take place at 1p.m. on August 15, 2024 at the Forum of
the Cypress Creek Christian Church, 6823 Cypresswood Dr., Spring, TX 77379. For this
event, the family requests guests wear bright vibrant colors along with bright multi-
colored sneakers. Dress like Jackie would have dressed. The more and brighter the
color, the better!

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in support of two organizations that took
superior care of Jackie as Alzheimer's took a firm grasp on her mind and body.

 Houston Methodist Nantz National Alzheimer Center. Donations can be made
online here or via check to: Nantz National Alzheimer Center c/o Houston
Methodist Hospital Foundation, PO Box 4384, Houston, TX 77210-4384 ]. The
center provides comprehensive and compassionate care to thousands of
patients each year. Donations provide the support the center's needs to achieve
its vision of excellence in research, education and patient care.
 Vitas Hospice Care, Donations can be made online here or via check to VITAS
Community Connection, 255 East Fifth Street, Suite 1200, Cincinnati, OH 45202.
VITAS provides ends of life hospice care, donations provide financial assistance
to VITAS hospice patients and their families.