Dr. Charles K. Casteel, Sr.

Charles Kempe Casteel, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, physician, friend, and servant of Christ, was born July 14, 1934, in McAlester, Oklahoma, to Charles Whitt Casteel and Madeline Alice Casteel. An only child, Charles graduated from Atoka High School in 1952 before attending the University of Oklahoma Medical School. He completed his residency at the University of Missouri–Columbia, where he met Marlys, the love of his life.

Charles and Marlys would have celebrated 64 years of marriage on August 25, 2026. Together, they built a life marked by love, faith, service, travel, and a deep care for others.

Charles practiced urology for 40 years, primarily at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, where he served as Medical Staff President. He was also a lifetime member of the Christian Medical & Dental Association. Throughout his medical career, he looked for opportunities to share his faith in Christ with his patients, friends, and colleagues. His care for others was not simply a profession—it was an expression of his relationship with the Lord.

Charles came to know Christ as his Savior at an early age, and his faith remained central to his life. He and Marlys served others in countless ways, allowing their love for the Lord to guide their decisions and their lives. One of their greatest adventures came when they retired early and moved to Tanzania, East Africa, where Charles served as Director of Urology at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center.

Charles had many gifts and interests. He was an accomplished pianist and tenor vocalist, as well as a talented photographer and artist. He had an appreciation for beauty and found great joy in his marriage, his children, and serving others. He also had a wonderful sense of humor and was known to come home from his urology practice with a collection of medical jokes.

Charles loved reading the Bible and memorizing Scripture. One of his favorite passages was Philippians 4:6–7:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Charles was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Marlys; his three children, Anne Sutton, Charles Casteel (Mindy), and Elizabeth Casteel; his grandchildren, Loren Sherwood(Olivia), Morgan Ticum (Thomson), Elizabeth Sutton, Hannah Casteel, Kathryn Chavez (Brandon), and Rosemary Rollins (Mason); and his great-grandchildren, Mila, Vy, Rueben Santiago, Boaz, and Cameron.

Visitation will be held at Hope Community Church (formerly Leawood Baptist Church) on Thursday August 27th at 11:00AM with a service to follow at 12:00.

Charles leaves behind a legacy of faith, love, service, laughter, and devotion to his family. We know that Charles—husband, father, Papa, friend, uncle, doctor, and servant—is now home with Jesus for eternity, full of joy and peace.

As Jesus said:
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” —John 11:25–26

In lieu of flowers, the family request that contributions in Charles’ memory be made to the Christian Medical & Dental Association at www.cmda.org.

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