Joyce R Castellini

Joyce Marie Rendler Castellini passed away Sunday, April 19, 2026. Born October 7, 1940, to John Edward and Elsa Marie Rendler in Cincinnati, Joyce lived with Alzheimer's Disease for over 14 years with remarkable grace. She was married to Daniel Castellini for more than 63 years and was, above all, a devoted homemaker and the loving heart of a large and beautiful family.

Joyce is survived by her six children: Billy (Stacey), Liz (Steve), Michael (Amy), Danny, P.J. (Mary Ellen) and Todd (Bridget); nine grandchildren: Brad, Emily, Ben, Elliot, Grace, Danielle, Nicholas, Mac, Catie, Gabriel and Annie, and one great-granddaughter, Charlotte. She will be dearly missed by her siblings Connie, Cozy and Jan, along with countless cherished friends and extended family.

Joyce often described her childhood as a "gypsy life" - moving six times and attending nine schools, mostly in Cincinnati, with two high school years spent in Atlanta. Wherever she landed, Joyce made lifetime friends and wonderful memories, among them Rita from Atlanta, Margie from Xray school, Betty, Carol and Nancy from Summit Estates and Linda from Salem Heights.

Joyce trained as an Xray technologist and worked at Good Samaritan Hospital while Dan was studying at University of Notre Dame. They met one night at the Ault Park Pavillon after a dance. He asked Joyce to go to a wedding with him (on the next day), and two years later, when he graduated, he asked her to marry him. After their wedding, Joyce and Dan headed to life at the Ft. Eustis Army Base in Virginia for two years before his active discharge. Then they returned to Cincinnati to raise children. While living in Summit Estates, Joyce found a babysitter, Cathy Ingram, to help with the kids; Cathy became more than that - a friend, like a family member, who was part of every important event.

During the 1970's, Joyce and neighborhood friends, calling themselves "All Thumbs," made wooden Mail Pouch and Caboose barn purses. Though modest and even self-deprecating, Joyce was genuinely gifted. She was a very reflective, thoughtful and creative person, and a talented sketch artist. Every card she wrote, lunch she packed, scrapbook she made and gift she wrapped had a personalized sketch or drawing. Joyce was a freelance writer for The Mt. Washington Press, writing about family, raising children, finding her way in the world, and, at age 39, even had the remarkable foresight to write an article about how she'd like her own care at the end of her life. Joyce was a trailblazer in education, a charter member of the Association for Learning Disabilities in Forest Hills School District, working to make education individualized for those who learn differently, before it was widely understood.

A self-taught and meticulous hand seamstress who needed no pattern, Joyce created dresses, costumes, baptismal gowns, quilts, stockings and ornaments - all by hand, all with love. Joyce made everyone who knew her feel special, a "mom" to all. All visitors were greeted with a pot of coffee, a plate of crackers, cheese and peanuts and a chair at the kitchen table. She listened without judgment and offered wisdom when asked. She was a Fairy Godmother to many, a Supermom to her children, and "The Boss" to Dan, who was devoted to making Joyce happy, and throughout her long illness at home, served as her primary caregiver.

Joyce has always loved animals and has had a dog and or a cat companion throughout her life. Laura, at TheKey Home Care, gifted Joyce her cat, Maddie, who slept at her side over the last several years. She was a supporter of the Humane Society and The Peppermint Pig Thrift Store for animal rescue. The only birthday gift she ever wanted was a donation to save animals.

For over 30 years, Joyce, her sisters, Connie and Cozy, along with their mother, Mimi, brought a record player and hand instruments to Mt. Washington Care Center every Tuesday to facilitate a music-and-movement program attended by a circle of residents in the dining room. For the special holiday programs, Joyce wore costumes she created to act out the fun songs, like Pistol Packing Mama.

Joyce and Dan were true partners in life - meeting every challenge and embracing every adventure together. They renovated two farmhouses and traveled the country in search of covered bridges, visiting more than 630 in all, with Amish country and roadside thrift stores discovered along the way. They volunteered as counselors at Kids Helping Kids, and largely raised two of their grandchildren. Their generosity extended far beyond their own family: they helped fund the education of more than a hundred students at St. Xavier High School and supported many others with tuition at Notre Dame. For years, they served as primary team sponsors and major donors to Cincinnati's annual Alzheimer's Walk, committed to finding a cure and improving care for those living with the disease.

One year, Joyce handcrafted a set of Peanuts carolers - Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the whole beloved gang - as front yard holiday displays for each of her children's homes, a gift of her artistry that has welcomed every Christmas season ever since. And for many cherished years, both families knew that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meant gathering at Joyce and Dan's - their home, the warm and welcoming center of it all.

Joyce will be forever in our hearts and leaves an eternal positive impact on everyone who has known her.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, April 22nd, 10:30 am at Guardian Angels Church on Beechmont Avenue. Donations to the Peppermint Pig on Beechmont Avenue and The Alzheimer's Association would be a meaningful way to honor Joyce's memory. May Joyce be Forever in Blue Jeans - and may we always bask in her Heartlight.