Gary R. Castleberry, pastor of Post Oak MB Church in Indiahoma, Oklahoma, died Sept. 13, 2018, at the age of 75. Castleberry served as pastor of Post Oak for about three and a half years.
“Pastor Gary Castleberry served the Post Oak MB Church at a time when they were needing pastoral leadership and Gary and Earleen were looking for a place to continue their call to ministry,” says Southern District Conference minister Tim Sullivan. “Gary and Earleen were well loved by the church and community.”
Castleberry pastored several Oklahoma churches over the course of his 35-year ministry. He began his ministry as bus pastor and church deacon at Memorial Heights Baptist Church in Claremore. He was ordained as a minister and was called to First Baptist Church in Pittsburg, in 1983.
Castleberry was born June 1, 1943, in Oakland, California, to Melvin and De Ila (Thompson) Castleberry. The family moved to Chattanooga, Oklahoma, where he was raised, lived on a dairy farm and graduated high school. He was married to Earleen Webster Dec. 29, 1961, and served in the United States Army from 1961 to 1966.
Castleberry suffered a heart attack Sept. 9 and died following heart surgery.
Castleberry is survived by his wife, Earleen; three daughters, Tammy Wilson and husband, Danny; Christy Castleberry; and Nicole Hannabass; son Jeff Castleberry and wife, Cassie; nine grandchildren; and four honorary grandchildren.
“Gary’s passion for ministry was exemplified by his disappointment in not being able to preach the message God gave him for the Sunday morning he experienced his heart attack,” Sullivan says. “Gary was a sweet and gentle servant of Jesus who loved the people God called him to serve. I am personally grateful for Gary and Earleen’s ministry at Post Oak MB Church.”
Janae Rempel Shafer is the Christian Leader associate editor. She joined the CL staff in September 2017 with six years of experience as a professional journalist. Shafer is an award-winning writer, having received three 2016 Kansas Press Association Awards of Excellence and an Evangelical Press Association Higher Goals award in 2022. Shafer graduated from Tabor College in 2010 with a bachelor of arts in Communications/Journalism and Biblical/Religious Studies. She and her husband, Austin, attend Ridgepoint Church in Wichita, Kansas.
