“

He was, by every account, an amazing uncle and a world-class storyteller, always ready with tales from his life.

Refugio Baron Castro, known to family and friends as Otto or Cuco, passed away on September 2, 2026, at the age of 68.

Born on January 5, 1958, Refugio lived the kind of life that leaves behind stories, laughter, and a front porch that probably still expects him to be sitting there. He was a proud member of Johnston High School’s Class of 1977, part of the Pride of the East Side, and he carried that spirit with him through the years.

Refugio was funny, caring, loving, giving, and truthful, the sort of man who could make people laugh and feel looked after in the very same conversation. He was, by every account, an amazing uncle and a world-class storyteller, always ready with tales from his life and always ready to keep a conversation going a little longer than anyone planned. If you passed by and saw him outside on the porch, chances were good you were about to stay awhile. He loved to talk, socialize, and keep up with the world around him, one chat at a time.

He enjoyed life in the ways that make a person unforgettable. He loved his Dallas Cowboys with the faith and endurance that true fans understand. He loved doing his scratch-offs, surely holding onto the eternal optimism that the next one might be the one. He also took wonderful care of his rose bushes, tending them with pride and patience. Refugio appreciated simple routines, good conversation, and the little pleasures that gave each day its personality.

“

He loved to talk, socialize, and keep up with the world around him, one chat at a time.

Refugio never married and had no children of his own, but that technicality never stood a chance against the size of his heart. He loved his numerous nieces and nephews as if they were his own children, and he was also a proud great-uncle and great-great-uncle. His love for family was steady, generous, and easy to recognize.

He is survived by his sister, Elizabeth Bocanegra; his brothers, Alfred Castro, Roy Castro, and Ignacio Castro. He also leaves behind the many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews who knew him as a loving presence, a dependable voice, and very likely the keeper of at least a few legendary family stories.

He was preceded in death by his father, Raul Castro; his mother, Mary Gonzales; his sister, Sylvia Vital; and his brother, Jesse Castro.

Refugio will be remembered for his humor, his honesty, his generosity, his porch conversations, his roses, his scratch-offs, and his unwavering Cowboys loyalty. He gave his family plenty to smile about, plenty to talk about, and plenty to remember. That is no small thing. It is, in fact, a pretty wonderful legacy.