John Danuil Astle

John Danuil Astle was born January 21, 1954, in Niskayuna, New York, and died August 31, 2026, at his home in Dallas, Texas surrounded by his family. Although he lived in Maryland, Florida, Massachusetts and Texas, he always claimed he was a New Yorker.

He was a devoted husband to Cynthia Buie Astle, his wife of 50 years, and a devoted father to their son, Sean Damon Astle. In addition to his wife and son, he is survived by his brother Edward F. Astle (Lillian) of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, and their sons Kyle (Erica) and Dylan (Desiree’) of Rio Rancho; his nephews Jason Astle (Florida), Grayson Astle, Dayten Astle and Dever Astle of Rio Rancho; his brother-in-law George R. Buie (Caren) of Dover, Florida, his nieces Abigail and Elizabeth Buie; his nephews Neil Buie and his son Niko, and Benjamin Buie (Monica) and their children Benjamin, Olivia and Sebastian of Brandon, Florida.

Mr. Astle was predeceased by his father, Edward F. Astle Sr., and his mother, Evelyn Elizabeth Rivers Astle Justice Griebe, and by his younger brother, Gary Thomas Astle.

Professionally he was a retired pre-press manager in the printing industry and was a respected instructor in desktop publishing for non-profit organizations, especially churches in Texas.

While not a “joiner” of organizations, Mr. Astle nonetheless served his communities as a faithful, informed voter and civic leader. In the early 1980s, he led a citizens’ group in Pinellas Park, Florida, seeking to recall a corrupt politician. The campaign succeeded at the ballot box by a ratio of 8:1 for removal.

Mr. Astle was active in The United Methodist Church since his early teens. He was one of the denomination’s first Peace Advocates while a member of First UMC-Pinellas Park in the 1980s. He founded and led an adult Sunday School class, Wayfarers, that focused on Christian responses to contemporary social issues. He was an active member of the former Casa View UMC (now Casa Emmanuel) in Dallas, and of St. Stephen UMC in Mesquite, Texas. He sang in the choir, was a frequent liturgist for Sunday worship, and held leadership positions at both congregations, including chairing the finance committee at St. Stephen during a transition to more transparent financial accounting.

Since 2011, Mr. Astle served as associate editor and business manager of United Methodist Insight, a faith-based online news-and-views journal founded by his wife. In this capacity he attended and reported on four General Conferences, the denomination’s global legislative assembly, in 2012, 2016, 2019 and 2024. He also accompanied his wife to annual meetings of The Order of Saint Luke, an ecumenical monastic association.

A memorial service for John Astle is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at St. Stephen United Methodist Church, 2520 Oates Drive, Mesquite, TX 75150. In lieu of flowers, John’s family suggests donations to St. Stephen or to a charity of your choice. John believed that all humans are equally precious children of God, that no human is "illegal," that all should be fed in body and spirit, that all should have not just shelter but a home, that science is real, and that love always wins. He would be pleased with support for any group that seeks these goals.