June 25, 2008
Following is a statement from St. Mary’s University School of Law Dean Charles Cantu; on the death of Dean Emeritus James Castleberry:
“It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of James Castleberry.
A 1952 graduate of the St. Mary’s School of Law’s original evening program, Jim dedicated a majority of his professional and personal life to the law school. He joined the faculty in 1955, and served there until he became dean in 1978. In 1989, he transitioned from dean to dean emeritus, channeling his passion for St. Mary’s into further developing the law school’s endowment.
In his 11 years as dean, the School of Law saw several major milestones, including the completion of the Sarita Kenedy East Law Library, which doubled the space available at the law school and the establishment of the Summer Institute Program in Innsbruck, Austria, a successful program that continues today.
Jim and his late wife, Mary Ann, were a vibrant part of the social and civic fabric of our community. His contributions to legal education in South Texas were substantial and his loss will be deeply felt by St. Mary’s University and the School of Law.”