On February 7, 2013, Alyce Wanda Daniels Castleberry went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She was born in Poplarville on October 4, 1921, to Robert Clifton Daniels and Oneita Moody Daniels. She attended Poplarville schools and Pearl River Junior College, as it was called in that day, where she met the love of her life, Marvin Hubert Castleberry. They married on January 5, 1941, and began a life long adventure that took them all over the world and, eventually, home to Poplarville.

At the start of WWII, Marvin joined the Army Air Corps as a fighter pilot, flying P51s over Europe. After the war, he chose to stay in the newly created Air Force and served 32 years before retiring. During that time, Alyce and Marvin moved the family over forty times, including tours overseas. Alyce took delight in mentoring younger officers' wives, in serving on Air Force service committees, and in supporting the Red Cross on Air Force bases as a "Gray Lady". She received many awards and honors for her devotion to the lives of Air Force dependents.

After retirement, she supported her husband in his term as Mayor of Poplarville. Needing to stay busy, Alyce served for eleven years as secretary for the First Baptist Church. She and Marvin were devoted in service to Christ, starting two churches in the Northeast U.S. while serving in the Air Force. Their love of missions never faltered.

While in Poplarville, she and Marvin rekindled their love and interest in PRCC, investing time and energy in the Alumni Association and endowing a Daniels- Castleberry Scholarship. In 1996, Alyce was named Alumnus of the Year.

During their retirement, they also became patrons of William Carey University's Theatre Department. Since she had saved clothes she wore from the 40's through the 70's, Alyce donated most of that wardrobe to the theatre department.

Alyce was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Marvin Castleberry, her parents, and one brother, John Ross Daniels. Left to honor her memory are a daughter, Sandra (Pat) Few of Huntsville, AL and a son, Brad (Soni) Castleberry of Louisville, KY; four grandchildren, Jamye (Robyn) Few of Murfreesboro, TN; Ethan (Traci) Few of Nashville, TN; Kendra Castleberry of Hollywood, CA and Kara Castleberry of Louisville, KY; four great-grandchildren, Ethan, Maggie, Amelia and Liam. She is also survived by two sisters, Marjorie Lenora White, Velma Yvonne (Fred) Henley; one brother, Douglas (Phyllis) Daniels; a sister-in-law, Peggy Daniels and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation was held Sunday, February 8, 2013, at 2:00P.M. followed by the celebration of her life at 3:00P.M. These took place at the First Baptist Church of Poplarville, MS.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Daniels- Castleberry scholarship at Pearl River Community College.

Published in the Hattiesburg American on February 16, 2013