Salvadore J. Castello

To Salvadore J. Castello, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Salvadore, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Salvadore really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Salvadore was born on July 3, 1921 in San Jose, California. His parents were Grandpa Anthony and Grandma Anna. Salvadore was raised in San Jose, California and Morgan Hill, California. Even as a child, Salvadore had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Salvadore was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Salvadore managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Salvadore was raised with four siblings. He had one sister, Jessie, and three brothers, Joe(deceased), Johnny(deceased), and Ray(deceased).

All of Salvadore's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Salvadore experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He worked on the ranch, and in his spare time he liked to hunt.

Salvadore never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Salvadore to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Salvadore delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Salvadore was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Salvadore utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. When he was younger, Joe Agrillo was his best friend. His best friend up until his death was Ronnie. Ronnie and Salvadore were inseparable after Joan's death. Salvadore loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Salvadore very easy to approach. On May 5, 1942 Salvadore exchanged wedding vows with Joan Harp. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Salvadore related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Salvadore was blessed with 3 children, Sammy, Susan, and Jancie. They were also blessed with five granddaughters, Rebecca, Rachael, Crystal, Tiffany, and Angela; and nine great-grandchildren, Stephanie, Andrew, Alana, Kiyomi, Leo, Kai, Brian, Daniel, and Deanna. Salvadore had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Salvadore's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Salvadore had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Salvadore was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Salvadore liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Salvadore was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Salvadore's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Salvadore as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was farmer, and then he became a landlord for a real estate. He rented out apartments. He was self employed and was always his own boss.

Salvadore was a medic in WWII, where he met his wife Joan. Joan was a nutritionist. Salvadore always joked that Joan was an officer and he had to salute to her.

Salvadore enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Salvadore liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuit was wine making, which was his hobby for years. He was famous for his wine! Salvadore was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Salvadore recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a Catholic all his life.

Salvadore was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Salvadore's favorites was Samantha, a chihuahua. He also loved his puppy named Yoshie.

Salvadore believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When he was young, he sold his ranch and bought real estate(apartments) and worked all his life until about the age of 68. Salvadore sold the apartments and then collected rents off real estates. Salvadore took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Salvadore remained busy with people and projects. Even in retirement, Salvadore continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Salvadore passed away on September 10, 2012 at Valley Medical Hospital Center in San Jose, California. Salvadore passed away due to old age. He is survived by his three children, Sammy, Susan, and Jancie; his five grandchildren, Rebecca, Rachael, Crystal, Tiffany, and Angela; and his nine great-grandchildren, Stephanie, Andrew, Alana, Kiyomi, Leo, Kai, Brian, Daniel, and Deanna; and his three puppy grandchildren. Services were held at Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park in San Jose, California. Salvadore was laid to rest in Oak Hill Cemetery, next to his wife Joan Castello.

Salvadore brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Salvadore J. Castello lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.