Dr. James Francis Castleman

Dr. James Francis Castleman, 84, passed away on Monday, December 23, 2019, with his loving wife of 60 years by his side. A resident of Delmar, New York he was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 17 1935, to the late Reverend Lauriston Castleman and Mary Castleman. He was a graduate of Friends Academy in 1952, Princeton University in 1956, and New York Medical College in 1961. Upon completing his medical residency, he was drafted into the Vietnam War where he served from 1966-1968 as Captain of the United States Army. He was in private practice with privileges to St. Peters and Albany Medical Hospitals since 1965 and Medical Director of Saint Peters Addiction Recovery Center (SPARC) from 1972. He was a member of the New York State Medical Disability Board since 1985 where he worked up until October 2019. A member of the Albany Country Club and the Fort Orange Club, he was passionate about spending time with his family enjoying various events, especially activities centered on golf and cards. Simply, he loved nothing more than standing on the first tee on a bright sunny morning or playing cards with his lifelong friends in the 19th hole. Survivors include his wife and best friend Jan Castleman whom he married on September 26, 1959; a daughter Lauren Castleman Bott (Marc) and two sons Francis Lee Castleman (Bri) and James Francis Castleman Jr; his sister Mary Castleman Goodman and his twin brother Lauriston “Laurie” Castleman. He has 12 grandchildren; Lindsay, James, Liam, Drew, Scarlet, James III, Ian, Madelaine, Sawyer, Keegan, Reese, and Kyla. His beloved puppy, Chester. Relatives and friends may call at the Applebee Funeral Home, 403 Kenwood Ave, Delmar, NY on Monday January 6 from 4 to 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday January 7 at 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 107 State Street, Albany, NY. Burial will be at Bethlehem Cemetery and is private. Contributions may be made in memory of James Francis Castleman to the American Cancer Society, http://www.cancer.org/involved/donate/memorial-giving.html.