Esperansa C. "Hope" Castillo, 81, of Hicksville, Ohio, passed away Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at Parkview Regional Medical Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Hope was born August 1, 1944, in Berne, Indiana, daughter of the late Floyd and Carmen (Morales) Ortiz. Hope married Lamberto R. Castillo on May 28, 1982, in Hicksville, and he preceded her in death on June 1, 2025. Hope worked as a Press Operator at Crook Miller Handle Factory for over 15 years, retiring in 2004. Prior to this, Hope worked for Eagle Picher in Grabill and at Halex in Hamilton, Indiana   She was a member of St. Michael Catholic Church in Hicksville. She enjoyed gardening, both plants inside and her flowers outside, sewing, making tamales cleaning, doing word searches and coloring. Her grandchildren made her world complete.

Surviving are her six children, Delores Esquivel of Sherwood, John Esquivel of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Rudy (Erica) Esquivel of Auburn, Indiana, Floyd Esquivel of Hicksville, Monica (Bradley) Myers of Fort Wayne, and Melissa (Mike Crawford) Castillo of Hicksville; 25 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Gloria Jasso of Antwerp and Juanita Gonzalez of Hicksville. Hope was preceded in death by her parents; two husbands, John Esquivel and Lamberto Castillo; three brothers, John Ortiz, Paul Ortiz, and Gilbert Ortiz; eight sisters, Christina Conteras, Rosie Fuentes, Dorothy Chew, Mary Razo, Margaret Nieto, Josephine Navarro, Arabella Sanchez, and Carmen Lanum.

Visitation for Esperansa C. "Hope" Castillo will be held Monday, March 2, 2026, from 2:00 – 6:30 P.M. at Oberlin-Turnbull Funeral Home, 706 North Main Street, Hicksville, Ohio, with recitation of the Rosary beginning at 6:30 P.M. A Mass of Christian Burial for Hope will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at St. Michael Catholic Church, 100 Antwerp Drive, Hicksville, Ohio, with Father Daniel Borgelt officiating. Interment will follow in Forest Home Cemetery, Hicksville. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the Mass at St. Michael Catholic Church, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Memorial contributions can be directed to St. Michael Catholic Church, Hicksville, Ohio.

Condolences may be sent to the family, or the online guestbook may be signed at www.oberlinturnbull.com.