MIDLAND, Mich. – Following the July 28 passing of John Noel Castle, longtime Dean of Aftermarket Studies of Northwood University, industry executives, including former students of Castle’s, have established a scholarship endowment fund in his honor.

In a letter to Northwood grads and industry professionals seeking donations for the fund, Northwood graduate and AutoTrader.com major account executive Jack King wrote the following tribute to Castle:

“One person can make a difference. An individual can influence the success of an organization. Through their character, they can inspire their friends to achieve more, encourage laughter, and lend a helping hand when it is most needed.

There are many people who go throughout their entire lives never knowing such a person. You, however, are different. You were around to know Mr. John Castle.

You may know that John passed on July 28. I apologize if you are hearing this news for the first time. John had a long and interesting career at Northwood and he was able to mentor and help many students while he was here. He first joined Northwood in 1972, and up until his retirement in 1992, he served as the chair of the automotive replacement management program, he was dean of the Texas Campus, and the founder of the Northwood men’s hockey team. The automotive aftermarket industry regularly sought his advice and listened when he had something to say.

Since John’s passing, I’ve heard from many kind Northwood University graduates, leaders in the aftermarket industry, and his family. There has been such an outpouring of love and goodwill for John, and it is my privilege to share with you what just a few people have taken the time to write.

Greg Johnson, B.B.A. ’81 and Northwood hockey player, was John’s nephew. Though he admitted it was difficult to find the right words, Greg wrote “John Castle was my uncle, my hockey coach, a father figure, and most importantly, a true friend. When I think of John, the words integrity, honor, respect, and an awesome sense of humor come to mind.”

As founder of the Northwood hockey team at the Michigan Campus, John would involve his wife, Audrey, in many of the details. Together, they created a tradition of hosting the team and students for dinner. “One of my fondest memories was John and Audrey's legendary Sunday night prime rib dinners. They extended their warmth and hospitality to so many of the students. There was nothing like their home-cooked meals that included the Castle tradition of having the students help with the dinner dishes and set their breakfast table.” Greg went on to say, “For those of us who were fortunate enough to know him, John provided us with fond memories that will last us a lifetime.”
 
Jeff Stauffer, BBA ’76, is senior vice president, marketing for Affinia Global Brake & Chassis, and knew Castle for more than 35 years. “I'm not sure there is a better example of a person who embodied The Northwood Idea through and through than John Castle. He was as passionate as they come about helping students learn about our business and reached out to the industry on their behalf, and today, you can see his influence and connections across the industry in so many alumni success stories!” According to Jeff, “he lived, ate, and breathed Northwood along with his loving wife, Audrey, his entire life!”
 
I first met John Castle in 1972 when I was a student and he was an instructor of the automotive aftermarket program at Northwood Institute. We became friends immediately, despite the 25 years that separated our ages. It wasn’t long before I started to consider John as a father figure to me. He was there when I needed him, and he always steered me in the right direction when I went off course.

Everyone talks about John’s humor. He was a comedian with a bias for laughter. John and I were always playing jokes on each other. I remember one prank I tried to pull. John would usually have a bread sandwich with a little butter for his lunch. One day, he left the table before finishing his sandwich. Before he returned, I took some pudding and hid it between the bread slices. He came back, sat down, and took a bite from his sandwich. The pudding oozed out, down his chin and to his lap. I expected him to react, yet he acted as if nothing had happened. When he finished, he finally looked at me to say “I will need to use pudding more often on my sandwich. It adds to the flavor.”

When I visited John this January, I didn’t know it would be the last time I’d see him. It was difficult for me to see him confined to a wheelchair. Yet, you wouldn’t have known how difficult it was for John. He still had his wit, his humor, his kind words, and a few jokes to share.

John is missed by many. I hope that as you’ve read this letter you’ve smiled thinking of a moment you were able to share with John. With your help, I’d like to help pay tribute to him. For the funeral, John’s family asked that all memorials be directed to John’s Endowed Scholarship with Northwood University. John was as committed as anyone else to his students, his players, and the promise he saw in you.

I’d like to ask that you contribute $100, $500, $1,000, as much as you are able, to his endowed scholarship and in his memory. We already have $20,000 in endowed funds, and our goal is to reach $100,000. An envelope is enclosed if you’d like to mail your check. You can also call Justin Marshall, who works with the University, directly at 989-837-4279, if you have questions about your gift or would like to make your gift immediately over the phone. I know John would be thrilled if he were here and knew what we were up to. With our gift, we are all carrying on John’s legacy of helping others.

On Oct. 16, 2010, at 11 a.m., a small tribute to John will be hosted in the alumni lounge on the first floor of The Sloan Family Building for Aftermarket Studies on Michigan’s Campus. Dr. Tim Nash will speak briefly at the event and it will be an opportunity for friends of John to gather and share stories. A brick, engraved with John’s name, will be presented at the event as a permanent memorial to his legacy. Your gift of $100 or more to the endowed scholarship will be recognized with an engraved brick bearing your name, which will be placed near John’s. I’ve reserved my brick with my $1,000 gift to the University, and I hope that you and many others do the same before October 16.

I miss John, as do thousands of students, his family, his former colleagues, and an entire industry. He was a great man, a father, a father figure, a teacher, a consultant, an advisor, and mostly, a very true and dear friend to us all. I hope you find it within your ability to honor him.

Sincerely,

Jack King
B.B.A. ’74 and Colleague

If you would like to participate in the endowment, click here to download the contribution form.