Carlos "Los" Castro, 67, of Dade City, Florida, passed away leaving behind a legacy built on family, friendship, hard work, and a personality that was truly one of a kind.

Carlos was born on May 20, 1959, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Helen and Antonio Castro. As the son of a Navy serviceman, he spent part of his childhood moving with his family and lived in California for a time, but Puerto Rico was always home. He grew up alongside his brothers, Tony, Mickey, and Christian Castro, in a family full of athletic boys, competition, and the kind of stories that only brothers can create. He was preceded in death by his parents, Helen and Antonio, and his brother Tony. He is survived by his brothers Mickey and Christian.

More than 45 years ago, football brought Carlos to Dade City on a scholarship to Saint Leo University. Something his family always found especially funny considering the school no longer even has a football program. Dade City became home, and over the decades Carlos became woven into the fabric of the community.

His career began with McDonald's, where he worked as a manager, before eventually finding what would become a defining chapter of his life in the car business. Carlos spent 34 years selling cars at a local dealership and became much more than a salesman to the people he met. He built relationships that lasted for years and, in many cases, generations. He lost count of how many times he earned the title of top salesman, but the relationships always mattered more than the awards. Every year, without fail, Carlos personally called each of his customers on their birthday just to wish them a happy birthday. That was simply who he was. Customers became friends, friends became family, and strangers rarely stayed strangers for long.

Carlos believed deeply in legacy. To him, legacy was not about what someone owned or accomplished on paper. It was about the people you loved, the relationships you built, the family you created, and the stories people would continue telling after you were gone. He believed in family over everything, and he carried that belief far beyond his own household. He had a way of building community wherever he went.

Away from work, Carlos loved the things that made life fun.

He was an avid fisherman but fishing was more than a hobby for Carlos; it was one of the places he felt most at home. Moody Lake, Twin Lake, and Dowling Lake were among his favorites. He loved chasing bass, whether or not every bass actually made it into the boat, and some of the best memories of him were made near the water.

He was also a lifelong bowler. Thursday nights at Pin Chasers were practically an institution, and Carlos had two 300 rings to prove that, at least twice, he was capable of perfection. He built friendships through bowling that lasted for years and became part of another community that knew and loved "Los."

And then there was football and sports.

Carlos loved football with a passion that was impossible to miss. He was a devoted Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan and was a season ticket holder all the way back when the team played at the old Sombrero. Football season meant weekly picks, debates, games, and, of course, Carlos's legendary football pools and Super Bowl squares. Long before apps and online brackets made everything easy, Carlos hand-wrote those sheets every single week so everyone could make their picks. It was part competition, part tradition, and entirely Carlos.

He loved his Bucs, the Noles, the Celtics, and the Jets. More importantly, he loved the way sports brought people together.

Above everything else, though, Carlos was Dad and Papow.

He is survived by his three children, Brittany; Carlos Jr. and his wife, Abbie; and Tiffany. He was also deeply loved by his grandchildren, Sadie, Rhett, Avery, and Izzie.

To his children, he was far more than the larger-than-life personality so many people knew around town. He was strength, advice, laughter, protection, stubbornness, humor, and unconditional love. He helped shape each of them into who they are, and the lessons he gave them will continue through their own families.

Carlos truly was the kind of person people remembered.

He never met a lake he did not want to fish, a football game he did not have an opinion about, a bowling night he was not ready for, a bass he was not convinced was bigger than everyone remembered, or a stranger who could not eventually become a longtime friend.

He was a storyteller. A salesman. A fisherman. A bowler. A sports fanatic. A friend. A brother. A grandfather. A father.

And above all, he was family.

Carlos spent his life talking about legacy, and in the end, he built exactly the kind he believed in. His legacy will live on in his children and grandchildren, in the family values he instilled, in the friendships he nurtured, and in the countless lives he touched throughout his years in Dade City.

He will be remembered for his loyalty, generosity, humor, competitive spirit, love of family, and remarkable ability to make people feel like they mattered. The memories he created through work, sports, friendship, and family will continue to be cherished by all who knew him.

Carlos leaves behind a community that is better for having known him and a family who will carry his love, lessons, and legacy forward for generations to come. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

We hope you'll join us to celebrate Carlos in your Sunday football best - Bucs, FSU, or your favorite team's gear - and give Los the Sunday send-off he would have loved.

Sunday, October 4, 2026 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Simpson Lakes in Dade City, Florida.