Dario Manuel Castaneda (Tulia)

Dario Manuel Castaneda, 86, went to be with our Lord and Savior in the comfort of his own home surrounded by his family on Saturday, November 23, 2024. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 10:30 AM, November 26, 2024 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Plainview, Texas with Father George Poonely officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery under the care of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Tulia.

A rosary will be held on Monday, November 25, 2024 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the funeral home.

Dario was born in Runge, Texas to Marcelino Castaneda and Anita Martinez. He was the youngest of three children. From an early age he had to get out school and help his family with farm work and chores around the house. In 1955 at the age of 18 years, he met the love of his life, Savina Tobar. On June 9, 1965 they were married at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Runge, TX. Soon after they started their little family that multiplied into a big family.

Dario was a jack of all trades and worked for so many jobs from farming, ranching, janitor, carpentry, mechanic, working on old cars, building his own trailer, migrant jobs and maintenance. He did migrant work for eleven years from working at cotton gins to working out of state all the way to Wyoming. Every summer, while in Wyoming he would take his family to the parades in the surrounding areas for the kids’ enjoyment for working so hard in the fields during the week. The family got to see John Wayne on the back of a big red convertible in Cody Wyoming.

The maintenance job was another of his longest occupations. Dario started working for Tulia ISD in 1985 for a total of eighteen years and finally retired in 2003. After his retirement he had so many projects going around the house. He also had many hobbies that included the love for decorating his home for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. One year he won the award for The Best Decorated home during Christmas. He loved fixing puzzles, playing dominos and listening to music.

Everything his kids did or accomplished made him proud and happy. One thing that really made him proud was the year his wife graduated from Amarillo College in 2002 at the age of 59 years old. He had a smile from ear to ear and he was just so tickled.

Dario always had a lot of love for their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. They had such a big heart they ended up adopting two of their grandchildren. Dario was strong in his faith and always participated in men’s bible classes when he was younger. He even went away on a three-day men’s missionary bible study. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Plainview, TX.

Dario is preceded in death by his parents, Marcelino and Anita Martinez Castaneda, his brother, Vicente Castaneda, his sister, Margarita Mendez, his two sons, Rafael and Lucio Castaneda.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Savina Castaneda of Tulia, his children, Carlos Castaneda and wife Felice of Karnes City, TX, Manuel Castaneda and wife Judy of Kenedy, TX, Luis Castaneda of Tulia, TX., Cipriano Castaneda Sr. and wife Sherry of Cuero, TX, Lucy Trevino and husband Frankie of Tulia, TX., Joe Castaneda and his significant other Lethy of Hale Center, TX., Arnulfo Castaneda and wife Monique of DuPont, WA., Cipriano Castaneda Jr. and wife Cara of Kenedy, TX., and Jessica Castaneda of Cuero, TX., He is also survived by twenty-four grandchildren with one on the way and twenty-seven great grandchildren and one on the way.