Porter Milton Castleman, Jr., was born in Shelbyville, Tennessee, on April 19, 1941, to Porter Castleman, Sr., and Grace Mullins Castleman. Porter departed this life on Thursday, November 18, 2021.
Porter possessed a great sense of responsibility and began working to support his family at an early age. In 1959, he graduated from Bedford County Training School. During high school, he met Marie Cortner and they married on December 14, 1962. They were preparing to celebrate 59 years of marriage this year. From this union, they had two children: Michelle and Porter III.
Porter was employed by Goggin Truck Line in Shelbyville, Tennessee, for over 26 years where he worked the dock and was a local truck driver. At the time he retired, he worked for Consolidated Freightways in Nashville, Tennessee.
Porter was a lifelong member of Woodfork Chapel AME Church, attending church there as a child with his parents and siblings. He held many offices over the years, including Superintendent of Sunday School, President of the Trustee Board, Usher Board, and Layman’s organization. He could be counted on to drive the church van and worked hard to ensure the facility and the grounds where always well maintained. Additionally, Porter recently served on the Board of Directors and Trustees for Rosenwald Recreation Community Center and on the Bedford County Board of Equalization.
His sense of humor and love for a good discussion on current events will be missed by so many, especially his cousin, O’Neal Buchanan, and dear friend, Tom McLean, both of whom he considered brothers.
Porter is survived by his loving wife, Marie, two children, Michelle Castleman of Marietta, GA, and Porter (Brenda) Castleman of Christiana, TN; his grandchildren, Danielle (Charles) DeSarzant, Amber Castleman, and Alexis Castleman; and great-grandchildren, Gabrielle DeSarzant and Michael DeSarzant; his brother Claude Castleman, Boston, MA, and sister Stella Castleman, Philadelphia, PA; a niece and five nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his sisters Margaret Lumsden and Louise Collins, and by his brother Rainey Castleman.
