Sharon Kay Castelo's Obituary
Sharon Kay Castelo, 80, most recently of Elko, Nevada passed away on December 24, 2024.
Born March 1, 1944, in Mineral Wells, Texas to Vernice (Pinky) and Grace Stark. Sharon graduated from Las Cruces High. While she did not formally attend college, she was a life long learner. She started working for the federal government in the early 1960’s in the typing pool and worked for the Department of Defense in one capacity or another until her retirement in 1998, retiring as a Security Specialist.
Sharon met her husband Carlos Castelo in high school and they had two children. Carlos entered the military and together they were stationed all over the world including Japan and Germany, two of the most influential and memorable assignments.
Sharon had a lifelong love of horses which began with her grandfather who owned race horses and took Sharon to the track often. Sharon remained a horse race enthusiast to the end. She did not let her overseas assignments hinder her passion, while in Germany she taught western riding and eventually opened a riding stable offering lessons and trail rides to military personnel and local Germans. Through this enterprise she met Alan Jacob who was starting a western style rodeo in Germany. In 1976 she managed Rodeo USA for the summer along with her two children. Upon returning to the United States, she moved back to her home town, Las Cruces, New Mexico and started to show paint horses with her children. When she retired, she moved to Roswell, New Mexico and ran a Paint and Quarter Horse business with her son.
Sharon moved to Elko, Nevada in 2015 to spend time with her daughter. She lived at the Highland estates where she had many friends and enjoyed living independently until shortly before her death.
She is survived by her two children; Paul Castelo and Jill Castelo Lutjens (Silvey). A daughter-in-law Kristi Castelo, a son-in-law Bill Lutjens and a grandson Joel Castelo. She was preceded in death by her parents Pinky and Grace Stark.
No services are planned at this time.
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