Pearl England Casteel

Pearl England Casteel - February 25, 1906 - November 5, 2009 Pearl England Casteel was born February 25, 1906, in Tazewell, Tennessee. Up until Pearl reached the age of 101, she raised a garden, canning and freezing vegetables, and took care of her yard, mowing and weed eating. Pearl believed in hard work – sometimes going out in the morning and not coming in until dark, but never on Sunday. Pearl believed this one day was the Lord’s Day. She raised all of her children in Bonnie Blue, Virginia, the wife of a coal miner. She took in washing and ironing to help feed her children. Her son, C.B., died at 18 months of whooping cough and double pneumonia, but she raised six other children, and those six children survive her. After moving from Virginia, her family were tenant farmers in South Carolina. Pearl worked in the fields (tobacco) all day making $1.50 a day. She never complained. Even though Pearl only had a third grade education, she read her Bible (many times through), loved the Lord, and enjoyed praising the Lord for His love. She always enjoyed talking about her mama and daddy. Her mama died when Pearl was 5 years old. At 6 years old, she was standing on a chair cooking. She had to cook breakfast every morning, clean up, do other “farm” chores, then walk to school, sometimes not arriving there until 10:30. Pearl had many hurdles to cross before meeting and marrying her future husband at the age of 18. Garland and Pearl were married 56 years when Garland died in 1980. Pearl was able to live in her home on Main Road in Eagleton Village until she was 102 at which time she became a resident of Wellington Place. After 6 months, Pearl was transferred to Asbury Nursing Home where she lived the remainder of her days. We would like to thank Rhonda, Connie, and Kelly on 1 South for the love they have shown Pearl and the way they cared for her during her final days, giving her the care and love this special and precious lady deserved. She now has touched the face of God, seen her Lord, praising His name, reunited with her loved ones, and waiting for all of us. Her last words were “Bless the Lord, bless the Lord, what do you want me to do?” As she kept repeating “Praise the Lord.” Mrs. Casteel was a member of Broadway Baptist Church. Preceded in death by husband, Garland Casteel; infant son, C. B. Casteel; mother and father, Lizzie and James England; son-in-law, James Gainey; daughter-in-law, Wilma Casteel; great-grandson, Kyle Mutter, and great-great grandson, Christopher Thomas Ipox, II. Surviving Mrs. Casteel are her children: Rex (Sandra) Casteel of Maryville, Bill Casteel of Roseville, Minnesota, Wayne (Sharon) Casteel of Davie, Florida, Jewel Gainey of Kearneysville, West Virginia, Jeanette (Bob) Long of Mooresville, Indiana, and Auda Lynn (H.P.) Welch of Timmonsville, South Carolina. Mrs. Casteel has 20 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, and 19 great-great grandchildren. There will be a receiving of friends on Sunday from 1:30-3:00 p.m., followed by the funeral in McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ted Witchen conducting the services. The interment will follow at Sherwood Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Eastern TN Chapter, 2270 Sutherland Avenue, Suite 202, Knoxville, TN 37919 or to a charity of your choice. McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home 982-6812 www.mccammonammonsclick.com