Joseph W. Castlen III

Joseph William Castlen III, Joe to nearly everyone, and Judge to a good many people whose lives he changed, died peacefully on the evening of Monday, August 3, 2026, in Owensboro, Kentucky. He was 78.

Joe was born on May 22, 1948, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Joseph W. Castlen, Jr. and Margaret Elizabeth O’Bryan Castlen. He was the second of seven children in a close-knit household, shaped in no small way by his brother, Mikey, born with Down syndrome, whose life turned the whole family toward the people others overlooked. That instinct never left Joe.

He graduated from Owensboro Catholic High School in 1966, where he played football and received the Father Connor Award as the Outstanding Male Athlete. He attended Brescia College before enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1969.

He served four years as a medic and flew helicopter rescue missions during the Vietnam War and was recognized for his heroism.

On December 20, 1969, Joe married the love of his life, Kaye Thomas. They shared fifty-six years of marriage and raised five children: Joseph William “Joe” Castlen IV (Kerri), Ben Castlen (Holly), Miriam Castlen, Megan Castlen Houston (Nolan), and Josh Castlen (Steve). His greatest joy was his family, and his ten grandchildren were the delight of his later years: Noah, Madeline, Alex, Kayla, Will, Olivia, Emma, CeCe, Fisher, and Max.

Following his military service, Joe earned a BS in Accounting from Western Kentucky University in 1974 and a JD from the University of Louisville in 1976. He practiced law in Owensboro for twenty-three years before being elected Daviess District Judge for Division III in 2000. In 2008, he was elected Daviess Circuit Judge for Division II, where he served until his retirement in January 2019, and then kept right on judging, serving in Kentucky’s Senior Status Special Judge Program through 2026, filling in for judges across western Kentucky, helping oversee Daviess Family Court during a judicial vacancy in 2021, and most recently serving as a mediator.

For nearly two decades, he served on the bench in Western Kentucky. He conducted his court with a rare combination of firmness and mercy, holding people accountable while never losing sight of the person standing in front of him. He cofounded the Lighthouse Recovery Program at a time when addiction treatment resources barely existed, and together he and his brother, Tom were driving forces behind the creation of Daviess County’s juvenile and adult drug courts.

He served the Immaculate School Board, the Wendell Foster Board of Directors, the Opportunity Center Board, the Owensboro Human Rights Commission, the Elizabeth Munday Center, the Breakfast Rotary Club, and the Lions Club, and he chaired the local bar association. A proud veteran, he belonged to both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. While in law school in Louisville, he helped establish the Wilder Park Neighborhood Association, which still serves that community today. An Eagle Scout himself, he later served as a Cub Scout Den Leader, guiding not only his own sons but many young boys throughout the community.

Joe was fascinated by history and genealogy. With his brother Steve, he wrote Grandpappy: Chronicles of a Daviess County, Kentucky, Family, Lockie of Owensboro: A Life of Grit, Grace, and Iron Wheels, and Squanto: Slave, Survivor and Pilgrim Savior.

Joe was, above all, a storyteller, and his signature hallmark was a sense of humor usually delivered by way of a good story about growing up with family. His faith was guided by the Beatitudes and service to others.

Honors came to him across his distinguished life. He most recently received the Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice’s Special Service Award and the Beacon Award, among many other recognitions in his life.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph W. Castlen, Jr. and Margaret Elizabeth O’Bryan Castlen; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Royal Vinson Thomas and Mary Thomas; and his brother, James Michael “Mikey” Castlen.

He is survived by his beloved wife of fifty-six years, Beverly Kaye Castlen; his children, Joseph William “Joe” Castlen IV (Kerri), Ben Castlen (Holly), Miriam Castlen, Megan Castlen Houston (Nolan), and Josh Castlen (Steve); his ten cherished grandchildren; his sister, Theresa Castlen O’Bryan; his brothers, Tom (Anne) Castlen, John (Michele) Castlen, Steve (Sue) Castlen, and David (Michele) Castlen; as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family members, lifelong friends, colleagues, and countless individuals whose lives were made better by knowing him.

To those who knew him, Joe will be remembered not for the positions he held, but for the extraordinary man he was. He treated every person with dignity, never passed judgment outside a courtroom, and always extended kindness. He listened more than he spoke, gave more than he received, and led not through authority but by quiet example.

Nothing mattered more to Joe than his family. He was a devoted husband, a loving father, an adoring grandfather, a cherished brother, and a loyal friend. Joe’s Legacy cannot be measured solely by the courtroom decisions he rendered, the organizations he helped build, or the awards he received. It lives on in the countless lives he touched through his compassion, generosity, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to others.

He will be deeply missed, forever loved, and always remembered.

The funeral service for Joe Castlen will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at St. Stephen Cathedral with Fr. Pat Connell and Fr. Jerry Riney officiating. Visitation will be held at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory from 2:00 pm until 6:00 pm Friday. Prayers will begin at 6:00 pm, followed by a time of sharing. Visitation on Saturday will be from 9:00 am until 10:00 am at the funeral home.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Wendell Foster Center, 815 Triplett St, Owensboro, KY 42303, or Lighthouse Recovery Services, 731 Hall Street, Owensboro, KY 42303

Memories and messages of condolence may be shared with the family at www.glennfuneralhome.com