Pearl Ilene (Dorris) Castleman passed away peacefully on March 15 with her daughter, Thelma, and granddaughter, Karen, by her side. She was born on May 25, 1925 in Stroud, OK to George and Gracie Dorris. She was the third child of 11 children.

Pearl started working in the fields of OK with her family at a young age. Whether it was picking cotton or vegetables, or staying at home to care for her younger siblings, Pearl was always willing to do whatever was needed to help her family.

When she was 15 she met Harold Lavon Castleman and the two were married in Sapulpa on November 2, 1940. Soon after, they left Oklahoma and headed west to California with both of their families. They lived in various places until finally settling in the San Francisco Bay Area where Harold and Pearl (then known as Ilene) both worked at a glass plant in Oakland, a winery in Asti, and then a glass plant in San Leandro. While working there, Harold was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away on September 6, 1972.

Ilene was fiercely independent and loved to live life to the fullest. She was not afraid to try new things and loved adventures. At one point she owned a tropical fish store in Hayward with her friend, Roller Derby legend, Jerry Cattell. She was a big Roller Derby fan and she developed friendships with several skaters.

She loved to travel and got bored easily. That combination lead to many moves around California, Nevada, and eventually back to Oklahoma permanently. She moved to Holdenville with her daughter, Thelma, and son-in-law, Jerry, in 1992. It was at this time she decided to go by her first name of Pearl. As time went on she became known as Grandma Pearl. Her neighbor and special little friend, Scotti Jo Johnson started the Grandma Pearl chapter and it tickled Pearl. Overtime, this evolved into Nana Pearl.

She loved people, children in particular, and made friends easily. She would help anyone, but believed in "teaching a man to fish" rather than just "giving a man a fish". She believed people should be taught to help themselves whenever they could and not depend on anyone else. A motto she lived by, refusing to be helped until she absolutely needed it.

She was known to many people by many names: Ilene, Pearl, Grandma, Gram, Nana, Grandma Pearl, Nana Pearl; but the name she was most proud of was Mom.

She is survived by 5 children: Preston and wife Francis of Walker Lake, NV, Troy and wife Judith of Park Hill, OK, Thelma O'Kelly of Holdenville, OK, Brenda Green of Dallas, NC and Dennis Castleman and wife Robyn of Red Bluff, CA; and 2 sisters: Faye Sheets and Marie Bullough. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and other relatives.

She is preceded in death by her parents George Riley Dorris and Gracie Mae Dorris; husband Harold, sons-in-law Jerry O'Kelly and Joel Green, and daughter-in-law Gaye Castleman; her sisters Mary Cacy, Josephine Adams, Clara Mae Dorris, Della Margie Crain, Fern Anderson, Gracie Laustrap, Ruby Johnson, and her only brother Alfred Dorris; a grandson and three great-grandsons.

Pearl loved family dinners, therefore a memorial luncheon will be held at the Nazarene Church in Holdenville on Sunday, March 19, 2017 from 3:00 pm-5:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to come celebrate Pearl's life, share stories and memories, and share a meal with family and friends followed by a balloon release. Dane Robinson will officiate. www.fisherfh.net