KENNETH HINE CASTLEBERRY, 81, passed away July 25, 2022. He was born on May 8, 1941, in Paragould, Ark. His parents were Woodrow and Martha Hine Castleberry of Newport, Ark. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jamie Umsted Castleberry; daughters Virginia Trammell (Chad) of Texarkana and Marty Trieschmann (Werner) of Little Rock; grandsons Charlie Trammell, John Trieschmann and Kenneth “Kit” Irby Trieschmann; sister Nan Cox of Fairfax, VA; and many beloved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Steve Castleberry, Ph.D., of Hot Springs, and Woody Castleberry of Batesville.
“Kenny” grew up in Newport, Ark., in its heyday with his future bride. He attended Newport High School and played football for the Newport Greyhounds.
Kenny went on to the University of Arkansas where he graduated with a law degree in 1965. In 1972, he was admitted to practice law in all federal courts in Arkansas and the U.S. Supreme Court. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Kenny practiced law at Pickens, Pickens & Boyce in Newport and the Friday Law Firm in Little Rock before serving as general counsel for Arkansas Governor David Pryor. Pryor later appointed him director of the Arkansas Department of Commerce and State Building Services. A lifelong Democrat, Kenny worked on the gubernatorial campaign of Sid McMath.
He was managing director of Little Rock-based National Steel. In 1979, he returned to private law practice as a partner with Epley, Epley & Castleberry in Eureka Springs, Ark. He later formed his own law firm, Ken Castleberry, P.A., focusing on commercial and family law until his retirement.
Kenny and Jamie loved Eureka Springs and made some of their closest friends in the quaint tourist town. In addition to practicing law, Kenny invested in local businesses and served as a board member at Community First Bank. And avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed the town’s proximity to beautiful Beaver and Table Rock Lakes, both frequent fishing destinations when he wasn’t hunting. He was a truck aficionado and knew more about Ford trucks than most Ford dealers. He enjoyed opera, particularly the music of Italian composer, Giacomo Puccini.
Kenny was a lifelong Episcopalian, growing up as a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Newport where a chapel is named for his mother, Martha. He served on the vestry at St. James Episcopal Church in Eureka Springs and St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Little Rock.
Kenny was a devoted father of two daughters and was so proud of his three grandsons — Charlie Trammell, a student at Tulane Law School; John Trieschmann V, a sophomore at Hendrix College; and Kit Trieschmann, a junior at Catholic High School.
The family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to the physicians, nurses and therapists at Christus St. Michael’s in Texarkana.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 6 at 2 p.m., St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, Little Rock. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given to St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church or to the Storybook Project of Arkansas.
