Roger Bone is a Larger-Than-Life Presence at Castle

If you visit Castle’s office in Webster Groves, you’re bound to run into Roger Bone.

That’s because he’s featured in a larger-than-life photo mural emblazoned on a wall in the reception area. The photo depicts Bone working alongside Operator Dan Noelker on the new parking garage at Washington University in St. Louis in 2019.  

“It’s a classic shot of me,” he says. “The reason I look so serious is because I was facing the sunshine trying to read numbers on a five-inch screen.”

Bone is quick to brush off the good-natured ribbing he receives from colleagues and others who have seen the photo in person or posted on social media.

Ultimately, the office artwork is a fitting tribute to one of Castle’s longest-serving laborers. Since coming onboard in 2005, Bone has left his mark on projects across St. Louis, including the Taubman Prestige Outlets, IKEA retail development, Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Festus, and Bemiston Place apartments and Forsythia on the Park condos in Clayton.

He’s currently working onsite at the new 16-story Plaza West Tower under construction at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “From a logistical standpoint, this is one of the most challenging jobs that I’ve ever worked on,” he says, noting the tight site and proximity to Kingshighway Blvd.

The logistical challenges add an extra layer of complexity to the meticulous task of digging on an active hospital site while avoiding existing underground utilities and other infrastructure. “There’s water, gas, electric, steam vaults, lighting and other infrastructure in the ground that you have to dig around to install new utilities and repair some existing water lines,” he explains.

For Bone, one of the most rewarding parts of working in excavation and sitework is the quick progress that can occur. “On most projects, I'll run anywhere from 30 to 50 dump trucks for eight hours a day,” he says. “At that rate, you can make a big hole really fast.”

And the integration of technology has been the most profound change he has experienced during his nearly 20-year Castle career. “We went from using a four-foot level and paying someone to put in our stakes and hubs to having our own GPS equipment,” Bone says.

An Outdoor Enthusiast

Growing up in Robertsville, Missouri, a small community southwest of St. Louis, Bone’s first job was working for his dad’s tree trimming business. “At 11 or 12 years old, I started dragging brush in the summertime when I wasn't in school,” he recalls.

Several years later, while working as a furniture mover, Bone affirmed his preference for working outdoors. “I only worked indoors for one week before I knew I wanted to be outside,” he says. “I'm not an indoor type of guy.”

He soon landed a job as a construction laborer for a small contracting company, where he learned core skills that positioned him for success as a Castle laborer.

Bone currently lives in Villa Ridge, Missouri, with his wife, Tammie. Son Bryce is in the Air Force, stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, South Dakota. “He works on the B-1 Bomber and just signed on for his second term,” he says. And stepson Dominic works for Source Performance in Scottsdale, Arizona. “My wife and I are empty nesters, so we're downsizing and moving about 10 minutes west to Washington, Missouri,” he says.

When Bone isn’t on a Castle jobsite, there’s a good chance he’s enjoying the great outdoors. “I’ve got an old Jeep, and I like to go out and play in the mud in the woods,” he says.