Michael N. Castle, widely known as a dedicated public servant who brought a bipartisan, common-sense approach to policy-making, died on Thursday, August 14, 2025 in Wilmington, Delaware following a long illness.
Governor Castle was a two-term Delaware Governor from 1985 to 1992. He served as Delaware’s lone Member of Congress from 1993 to 2011, making him the longest-serving U.S. Representative in the state’s history. He was Lt. Governor of Delaware from 1981 to 1985 and a member of the Delaware General Assembly, serving in both the State House of Representatives and in the State Senate from 1966 to 1976. He also served as Deputy Attorney General.
As Delaware’s chief executive from 1985 to 1992, Governor Castle built a strong economy by cutting income taxes three times, balancing eight state budgets, and creating tens of thousands of new jobs. Mike’s efforts to enhance Delaware’s attractiveness to the banking industry coupled with protecting agriculture through the Agriculture Land Preservation Act, resulted in a robust economy statewide.
A strong public education advocate, Governor Castle created the Focus on the First Sixty Months initiative, making him one of the first state leaders to acknowledge the importance of early childhood education in a student’s ability to learn. His budget proposals increased teachers’ pay and reduced class size to ensure Delaware could compete with other states.
Governor Castle understood there is no greater legacy we leave to future generations than the quality of our environment. As Governor, his administration’s Environmental Legacy program to protect and preserve forests, wetlands, and beaches won recognition for its foresight and impact.
Congressman Mike Castle was a founding member of the Republican Main Street Partnership, a leading organization for centrist Republicans, and worked in a bipartisan manner to help move people from welfare to work, support fiscally responsible government, improve public education, and protect the community. He served on the House Committee on Financial Services, Committee on Education and Workforce and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Mike helped shape the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 by increasing childcare funding and Medicaid coverage for those moving from welfare to work. A supporter of conservative fiscal policies, Mike was lead sponsor of successful legislation that gave the President Line-Item Veto Authority to veto individual items in spending bills, and he helped drive the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to successful passage.
Mike helped write and pass No Child Left Behind legislation to improve public schools by increasing resources and flexibility for schools and teachers in return for more accountability to ensure all children are learning. He wrote the law that created the 50 State Quarters Program widely recognized as the most innovative circulating coin program in our nation’s history. He was a co-sponsor in the successful passage of The Brady Bill which required a 5-day waiting period for the purchase of a gun and the implementation of computerized instant background checks.
For his work on healthcare issues, Mike was awarded the American Cancer Society’s National Distinguished Advocacy Award for 2007, the highest national advocacy honor bestowed by the Society in recognition of a congressman’s ability to bridge the partisan divide in pursuit of the fight against cancer.
His private sector experience as an attorney included being a partner at Connolly, Bove and Lodge; Schnee and Castle; Castle and Spence; and DLA Piper. The Schnee and Castle partnership exemplified who Mike Castle was, a Republican, working with a Democrat, Carl Schnee, as legal collaborators. This partnership even extended into a business venture when they were co-owners, along with two others, of the Bottle & Cork in Dewey Beach. Mike was also a real estate developer, owning various properties in Wilmington, and along with several other partners, developed Rockford Village. This project received an award in the late 1970s from the Greater Wilmington Development Council and the New Castle County Planning Department for recycling old housing structures to create a contemporary urban village.
While embarking on a career in public service, Mike also served on many boards, most recently as Board Chair of Research!America from 2017-2021. Mike also served on the University of Delaware and Delaware State University board of trustees, and as an honorary member of The Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware.
Mike loved the outdoors and, at the age of ten, began attending summer camps in Maine at Camp Medomak, where he went on to become a camp counselor. He was an avid fan of the Phillies, Flyers, Sixers, Eagles, and the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens.
He enjoyed small town parades around Delaware on July 4th and especially on Halloween. Following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Governor Pete du Pont, who dressed up as Dracula, Mike enjoyed dressing up as Frankenstein for the families who visited the Governor’s House and for parades in each county. Mike was a voracious reader, devouring newspapers, periodicals, fiction and non-fiction books. After a quick glance at the front page, he would bury himself in the sports section. As a child he was often caught by his parents reading by flashlight under the covers late at night.
Governor Castle was born in Wilmington, Delaware, on July 2, 1939. His parents were James Manderson Castle, Jr., and Louisa Johnston (nee Bache). His fifth great-grandfathers were Founding Fathers Benjamin Franklin and Daniel Carroll. He was a graduate of Tower Hill School, and he earned a BS degree in economics from Hamilton College and a JD degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.
Governor Castle is survived by his wife of over 33 years, Jane DiSabatino, many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He was a confirmed bachelor until meeting Jane. They began dating in 1986 and were married in 1992. For the past 39 years, Jane was his everything. Mike was predeceased by his sisters Louisa Johnston Castle and Ann Castle Boswell and brother James Manderson Castle, III. Mike’s extended family included his staff and campaign volunteers who considered him a mentor and trusted friend. He truly valued and appreciated their dedication and loyalty throughout his years in public service. The family would like to express their deep appreciation for the wonderful care and loving kindness he received while living at Country House.
Visitation will be held at Chandler Funeral Home, 2506 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE from 5:00 to 8:00 pm on Thursday, August 21. Overflow parking will be available at St. Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church, 7 Sharpley Road, Wilmington, DE. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, August 22 at 10:30 a.m., at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Church, 10 Old Church Road, Wilmington, DE immediately followed by a Celebration of Life at the Wilmington Country Club, 4825 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, DE. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to The Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware, 669 S. Union Street, Wilmington, DE 19805 or Friends of Wilmington Parks, P.O. Box 435, Montchanin, DE 19710-0435.
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