— John Wayne Castleberry —

John Wayne Castleberry, 80, passed away peacefully in his sleep on October 3, 2020, at his home in San Jose del Cabo Mexico, just west of Cabo San Lucas. Wayne was born December 31, 1939 in Phoenix, AZ. His family moved to Henderson, Nevada in 1950. He attended Basic High School in Henderson. At the age of 18 he married his high school sweetheart, Gloria Martinez and they had two children together. They divorced and eventually met and married their current soul mates.

At the age of 18 Wayne started working for the Tropicana Hotel as a butcher. He would eventually move on to New York Meats, Market Town and Tops Market. In the mid 60s he started his own meat market, Butcher King in downtown Las Vegas, with his best friend Donny Vincent. After several years and several ventures he finally started American Pest Control in 1970 as a one man business which at one time became the largest “Family Owned” pest company in the Henderson and Las Vegas Valley, and is still “Family Owned” after 50 years.

In 1979, during a motor home trip through the Baja of Mexico, he fell in love with Baja. He would eventually meet his current wife, Annelle, in Mexico and they married in 1989. They would begin a life of adventure to many countries.

Wayne was a self made and self taught man. He loved fixing or repairing anything and there wasn’t anything that he worked on that was impossible for him to fix. In the 1990s, Wayne built a beautiful home right on the beach in San Jose del Cabo. When family or friends came to visit him at his home in paradise, it was truly the most fantastic visit and experience you could possibly have.

Wayne was the best host you could ask for and everyone would often jokingly say “Wayne was the best butler you could ever have.” Wayne loved to spend his free time reading, whether it was books, magazines or newspapers and eventually internet. He refused to give up his flip up cell phone and switch to a smart phone. He enjoyed traveling, going for walks, exercising and music. He enjoyed his chilled Don Julio in a martini glass. He played a mean game of backgammon. He was famous for his humorous greeting cards.

Wayne lived a wonderful life and never regretted any of his life choices. Wayne and his wife traveled to many destinations all over the world but his favorite place to end up was San Jose del Cabo where he eventually settled down to retire. He was definitely generous to a fault.

He leaves behind a plethora of people he had met throughout his life who would become lifelong friends from Mexico, Oregon, California, New York, Paris and most especially Henderson and Las Vegas. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents Charlie Castleberry and Gara Merrill and his beloved son Scott Castleberry. He is survived by his wife, Annelle, his sister, Janice (Merrill) Knabe (Tim Perry), his daughter Sandra Detisch and his son in law Rick Detisch, his two step children Heather Sutton and Matt Haapala, his 2 grandchildren Matt Detisch and Tieara Castleberry and 1 great grandchild Kassidee Stransky and his dog Boomer.

He lived an amazing life and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Wayne’s wish was to not have a funeral. He asked to be cremated and his ashes comingled with his son Scott and scattered in the Ocean outside of his home in Mexico. His daughter, Sandra would like everyone to remember him with a shot of chilled Don Julio or a glass of his favorite champagne Veuve Clicquot or beverage of your choice. Sandra would also ask that everyone take the time to appreciate the ones you love before they are gone.