Holly Castle

Holly Castle, 76, died peacefully at home in the Village of Rhinebeck, NY on the evening of Sunday, January 9, 2022. She was blessed with having recently experienced a wonderful Christmas with her entire immediate family, the most important focus of her life.

Born Holly Ann Hudson on May 11, 1945 in Circleville, Ohio, she grew up on the family farm near London, Ohio. The farm remains in the family, and is a treasured legacy and gathering place.

She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Chuck Castle; her daughter Erin Castle (and her husband Stephen Hopkins); her son Jess Castle; her grandchildren, Maxwell and Josephine Hopkins; her sister, Susan Graeter; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Holly received her undergraduate and masters degrees from Ohio State University, where she was Phi Beta Kappa. She taught English at Ohio State and later at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio after settling there with her husband in 1970. Holly was a true polymath of the first order, and her interest in learning never waned. She loved culture, beauty, art, music, literature and design. She was a master gardener, who transformed the environment of every property she ever lived upon into a beautiful work of living art. Well into her fifties, she taught herself to read ancient Greek. Not content to keep her learning to herself, she passed on her knowledge in multiple ways. She volunteered for years as a docent at the Dayton Art Institute, and was a longtime member of and active contributor to Dayton’s Friday Afternoon Club, a literary salon for women dating from 1893. Her children and grandchildren are continuing to advance the spark of learning according to the example she set.

Holly and Chuck purchased a home in Rhinebeck in 2001 and moved there permanently in 2018.

Due to the significant spike in the COVID-19 pandemic, a celebration of the life of Holly Castle has not been set as of this writing. It has been recommended that at this time no contributions of flowers or donations need be made.

Arrangements under the direction of the Dapson-Chestney Funeral Home, Rhinebeck, NY. 

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