It is with a collective heavy heart that we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved patriarch, Juan Castro on January 28th, 2021 in Mineola, NY.  Juan is survived by his loving wife of over 50 years Juana, devoted daughters Sandra Coleman (Scott) and Michelle Ostaseski (Jimmy) and cherished grandchildren Scott ll, Samantha, Sophia, Lola, Jimmy and Joseph. He was preceded in death by his mother Ana Espinoza, father Eduardo Castro and older brother Ismael.   Juan was born on August 4th, 1943 in Santiago, Chile.  After his parents divorced, Ismael lived with their father and Juan his mother.  Juan was forced to grow up quickly.  He quit school in 10th grade in order to find work to support his mother.  He soon found a job as a jewelry maker.  This proved fortuitous as he would soon meet the love of his life, Juana Maraboli. Being a jeweler he fashioned the couples gold wedding rings.  It wasn't long until the couple welcomed their first daughter, Sandra.   Due to gold restrictions in Chile, at age 22 Juan needed to make a change.  He and his best friend, Richard Contreras, ventured out to the unknown. They came to America,  hoping to find better lives for their families. Juan rented a modest room finding work where he could with his eyes on the goal of bringing Juana and Sandra to America. One of Juan's jobs was working as a Bayman on a clam boat  - he loved seafood! In 1969, Juan had saved enough money to move his small family from Chile to the United States. They settled in Oyster Bay, NY.  Three years later the family grew with the addition of his 2nd daughter, Michelle.  Juan was a dedicated father, doting over his girls and instilling an important set of values, highlighted by his unbending faith in God, his love and devotion for family and compassion for others. Juan's sense of empathy soon pioneered a pathway for his hometown friends and family to move north and build a better life for their families in the States.  With his guidance and assistance, a small Chilean community was beginning to grow in the Oyster Bay area.  Juan and friends started a local Chilean soccer club and was a driving force in organizing regular outdoor family BBQ's at Theodore Roosevelt Park that grew in size as time went on.  The soccer club and local Chilean community recognized and awarded Juan as instrumental in championing these groups.  Even as they aged, the old time soccer players continued to meet and celebrate their friendship on Wednesday nights.   Juan found his niche as a painter, creating his own company Juan Castro Painting.  He had an eye for detail and a knack for clever solutions.  Before long, JCP was the go-to company for the Oyster Bay, Locust Valley and Mill Neck clientele. One of Juan's most proud moments was when he naturalized to be an American citizen. He always loved his homeland of Chile, but he was now a proud American.  In 1988, he achieved another proud moment by purchasing his own home in Locust Valley. Another goal he accomplished thru hard work and perseverance.   Juan had a zest for life and a love of travel.  His hard work afforded him to be able to visit several countries.  Perhaps his favorite vacation was to France for the World Cup.  He was able to see his beloved Chilean National Team make it all the way to the World Cup Finals!  During that same memorable trip, he and Juana were delighted to be interviewed by a television crew from Univision.  On a trip to Miami the couple were invited as contestants on the Spanish TV game show "Sabado Gigante" where they met idol and fellow Chilean, Don Francisco. Juan jumped at the opportunity to paint a home in England for one of his local clients.  This job allowed the couple to live in Europe for a month and visit Buckingham Palace. Another memorable trip was to Brazil for a week of dancing at the Rio Carnival.  On an excursion to Ft. Lauderdale, they got to see artifacts from the art exhibit Vatican Splendors, satisfying their religious passion and beliefs.  He was also, right up front watching the procession of Pope Francis when he visited NYC. Of all of Juan's various expeditions, the one constant was his wife Juana.     Juan's greatest treasure was his family. He had created a strong bond within. When each of his daughter's married, he was ecstatic for he knew the family would only grow. With the birth of each of his six grandchildren, he enjoyed his role of "Poppop". He enriched our lives with hysterical stories. He was always smiling and taught us, "don't worry, be happy." His determination instilled in us the gratification of hard work.  He taught us to have compassion for others. We saw him give even when times were hard, but he did it anyway. He gave us a sense of security by making us believe there is nothing we can't achieve. His actions alone taught us this. He was a simple man who always smiled with a kind heart. He leaves us a stronger more loving family. For that we will forever be grateful. We miss you.