Rheba’s Obituary Rheba Rene (Fennel) Castillo passed away on the early morning of February 5th, 2019 at age 55. Rheba was born on April 29th, 1963 in Paola, Kansas. She was the daughter of Norma (Chamberlain) Fischer and David L. Fennel.
She spent the majority of her childhood in Kansas. She was an artistic soul that loved to sing with her father and sketch often. She enlisted in the Navy at age 18.
She served at Pearl Harbor, HI and one of her most proud achievements was that she provided transportation to President Ronald Reagan when he visited the base. She served her country with honor and pride. Her life took her to many locations and gave her many opportunities for adventure.
She participated in marathons and weightlifting competition during her military and even had a stint with hand modeling. She was not afraid to try new things. While living in California, she gave birth to her son Michael L. Castillo II.
They spent time together at parks and enjoying sports. Her daughter Cheyenne was born in Wichita in 1998. She and Rheba spent a lot of time together, often shopping or trying various restaurants.
She spoiled her grandchildren lovingly, often taking them to parks or McDonald’s indoor playgrounds. Her children and grandchildren are her legacy and she devoted endlessly to them. Outside of her family and military service she was most proud of was her career.
Prior to relocating to Wichita, she worked at PepsiCo in Payroll Administration. At the time of her unexpected passing, she was the Chief Operating Officer of Foster Design, Inc. where she worked for 15 years. She was loved and admired by co-workers and clients alike.
She prided herself with her professional abilities in improving the lives of the clients that sought support. Rheba’s faith gave her strength and security. She attended Mt.
Vernon United Methodist Church. Through sickness and daily struggles, she relied on Jesus to give courage and power to overcome all she faced. A favorite verse of Rheba’s was Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”.
She is known for her ability to talk to anyone, including strangers in the checkout line at a store. While she may have only bore two children, she accepted many of her children’s friends as her own. She often cooked specialized meals for those friends when they came to visit her home.
She loved to support the efforts of rescuing animals, which is how she obtained her pit bull Joker. Her family and friends remember Rheba as caring, loving and generous with a faithful heart. Funeral Service will be at 2:00 pm, Sunday, February 10, 2019, at Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.
Private burial will be at Kansas Veterans Cemetery, Winfield, KS. Preceded in death by her father, David L. Fennel; mother, Norma L. (Chamberlain) Fischer. Survived by her son, Michael (Suzanne) Castillo II; daughter, Cheyenne Castillo; grandchildren, Michael L. Castillo III, Mai J. Castillo; step-father, Michael Fischer; sisters, Connie (Gary Goos) Rankin, Vicki (Rod) Kelleher, Teri Kinney-Bishop; brothers, Kevin Fennel, Steve Fennel; many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and her loyal dog Joker.
Memorial Contributions may be made to Downing & Lahey directly to assist family in funeral expenses.
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