Louis J. Castellano was born in the Bronx, NY on April 19,1930 and passed away in Redondo Beach, CA on March 13, 2026. He was the 10th child born to Lucia and Giuseppe Castellano. His parents emigrated from Vico Equense, Italy in the early 1900s. Sadly two of the 10 children (Antonio and Bernardo) died in 1914 and 1918 respectively, well before the birth of Louis . The remaining children, Joseph, Pasquale, Mary, Angelina, Louise, Theresa, Anthony and Louis, enjoyed many happy childhood memories despite the challenges of the Great Depression and World War 2. Like his siblings, Louis was a very bright and inquisitive child. His intelligence led him to Stuyvesant High School in New York City where he exceled in his studies. After graduation, Louis entered Louisiana State University where he majored in Aerospace Engineering. While there, he also met and married his beloved wife, Enid. Louis and Enid first moved to Seattle after graduation and eventually settled in Southern California. Together, they enjoyed a life long journey that took them around the world. His professional career was put on hold while he served his country during the Korean War. He told his family that he was offered a Purple Heart but declined to accept it because he felt there were more seriously injured soldiers. As an Aerospace Engineer, Louis led teams of other engineers who were responsible for both commercial and government space launches. Whether he was at Cape Canaveral  or somewhere near the equator, it was always fascinating to listen to him speak about his assignments. He would talk about the advantages of launching rockets from the equator and sometimes he would say nothing at all because his assignment was Top Secret. Louis contributed immensely throughout his professional career which lasted close to 60 years. After retirement in his mid-80s, he enjoyed traveling to see his extended family, celebrating holidays and major life events including his sister Mary’s 100th birthday. He also loved to read, watch sports, listen to Sinatra and eat his favorite foods with a glass of wine. His wife and all of his siblings pre-deceased him. Louis is survived by numerous nieces and nephews along with their children and grandchildren. His was a life well lived.