Hugh Marvin McCastlain

HUGH MARVIN MCCASTLAIN, 73, who was affectionately known to family and friends as "Tuffy", passed away on Thursday, October 12, 2017 in Houston, TX. He was the son of the late Hugh M. "Ted "McCastlain of Brinkley, AR and the late Doris McCastlain Hinkle of Little Rock, AR. He is survived by his children, Kelly Ann McCastlain of Memphis, TN; Joseph Edward "Ted" McCastlain, of Tampa, FL (Debbie); Holly Louise McCastlain of Arlington, VA and his 10-year-old granddaughter, Abigail "Abi" Sierra McCastlain of Memphis, TN, who lovingly called her granddad, "Gruffy." He is also survived by his adoring sisters, Mary Lynn Nelson of Little Rock, AR (Sheffield), Julia Ann Stoner of Sugar Land, TX (Terry), and Laura McCastlain Sholes of Little Rock, AR (Keith), a step-brother, two step-sisters, as well as many loving nieces, nephews, and their spouses A graduate of Brinkley High School, where he played in the high school band, Hugh later graduated from Hendrix College, Conway AR in 1965 with a BA in Physics. At Hendrix, Hugh participated in intramural sports, but excelled at swimming. Following graduation, Hugh attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where he obtained a BS degree in Chemical Engineering in 1968. After post-graduate work in finance and management, Hugh joined ARKLA Gas Company in 1973. While there, he held managerial positions in several departments before he was appointed to be executive vice president and chief administrative officer for ARKLA. Hugh was also a former president of Downtown Shreveport Unlimited and was a member of the Shreveport Economic Development Foundation, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Institute for Industrial Engineers, and the Southern Gas Association. After retirement, Hugh moved to Texas, where he was an instructor at the Institute of Robotics. "Tuffy" was passionate for life and learning, an unforgettable character with a sense of humor and brilliance that cannot be eclipsed. In brief, he loved sailing and competed in various triathlons, played the bass guitar in a bands such as The Rebels and The Morticians, built computers, and was a fabulous dancer and artist. He was a wonderful father to his children, very proud of their careers, and dearly loved his granddaughter, Abi. As an avid firearm collector, he thoroughly enjoyed hunting and fishing with his friends Gene Smith and Cliff Lawley in Texas. In particular, his children and sisters will forever be grateful to Gene for the care and compassion he gave to Hugh. There will be a celebration honoring Hugh's life in Florida in February at Key Biscayne Bay, which was his favorite sailing spot. Memorial donations may be sent to either the Little Rock Humane Society, 14600 Colonel Glenn Rd., Little Rock, AR 72210, or the Houston Humane Society, 14700 Almeda Rd. Houston, TX 77053, or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl., Memphis, TN 38105. Family and friends please feel free to send condolences to: https://distinctivelife.com/obituaries/hugh-marvin-mccastlain/