Jesus Miguel “Jay” Castaneda, 39, of Cibolo, Texas, passed away on August 9, 2026.

Miguel was born on April 20, 1987, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Hilda Lawrence and Monico Castaneda. He was raised by his mother and stepfather, Russ Lawrence, whose Air Force career meant that Miguel grew up moving often and experienced more of the world than most kids his age. He spent his high school years in Germany, graduating from Kaiserslautern High School in 2006, before the family eventually made Texas home following Russ's retirement from the Air Force.

Although most of his family knew him as Miguel, as he got older, he chose to go by Jay. Miguel could come across as tough and stubborn, and at times he absolutely was, but that exterior never told the whole story. Underneath it was someone who cared deeply, gave generously, and was fiercely protective of the people he loved. His loyalty was one of his strongest qualities, even when that same loyalty occasionally got him into trouble, and when it came to his family, there was very little he would not do for them.

Miguel also never took himself too seriously. He was a goofball who genuinely enjoyed making people laugh, whether that meant telling a joke, pulling a prank, or relentlessly teasing someone simply because he knew he could get a reaction. His siblings experienced more than their fair share of that humor, as the typical brother-sister teasing and pranks were simply part of loving Miguel and being loved by him. While he did not care for large crowds, he was personable and could strike up a conversation with just about anyone, usually without worrying too much about what that person thought of him.

From a young age, Miguel was artistic and had a natural talent for sketching, something he continued to enjoy even though he drew less often as he got older. He also developed a love for cars and spent much of his working life as a mechanic, giving him an opportunity to work with something he had always enjoyed. Outside of work, Miguel liked fishing and camping, listened to everything from rap and country to rock, and remained a loyal Chicago Bulls and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan. He also appreciated a good homemade meal, but Thanksgiving held a special place for him because it brought together two things he loved most: good food and family.

Of all the roles Miguel had throughout his life, being a dad was the one he was most proud to have. He raised and loved his four girls, Faith, Hope, Aaliyah, and Jaylayna, and he never hid how proud he was of them. Being a Girl Dad meant helping with homework one day and taking the girls fishing the next, along with camping trips, visits to the Poteet Strawberry Festival, and the ordinary time together that often becomes the most meaningful. Regardless of what else was happening in his life, his girls mattered to him, and he loved being their dad.

Miguel is survived by his daughters, Faith, Hope, Aaliyah, and Jaylayna; the mother of his children, Marlayna Martinez; his mother and stepfather, Hilda and Russ Lawrence; his father and stepmother, Monico and Anna Castaneda; his siblings, Michael Lawrence and his wife, Kayla, Bryanna Lawrence, Yali Castaneda, and Ayleen Castaneda; his niece, Chloe Lawrence; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family members, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Aurora and Jose Martos, along with several beloved aunts and uncles.

While Miguel's life was not always easy, the difficult times never erased the person his family knew him to be. He had a tough exterior, but at heart he was a giant baby who loved his family, was generous to a fault, and would do almost anything to protect the people he cared about. Even during some of the hardest periods of his life, he continued to find reasons to laugh, make a joke, or give someone else a hard time, and that ability to find humor when life was anything but funny was simply part of who Miguel was.

His family will remember his stubbornness just as much as his generosity, the pranks and teasing just as much as the moments when he showed how deeply he cared, and his tough exterior alongside the much softer person underneath it. Most importantly, his girls will always know how much their dad loved them and how proud he was to call himself their father. Although his family now has to move forward without him, they find comfort in believing Miguel is finally at peace with the Lord, while the laughter, stories, and memories he left behind remain with the people who loved him.

The Funeral Service will be held at 1:00PM, with a Visitation to begin at 12:30PM, on Friday, August 21, 2026 at Schertz Funeral Home Chapel.