Harold Eugene Cantrell
We pay our respects to Harold and the Cantrell Family
Special Note: Thanks to the Clay County Florida Friends for their love, prayers and help with our family while searching for Harold since July 5th.
Harold, or Hal, or PaPa as his family called him, went to be with our Lord on July 5, 2017.
Harold was born on April 23, 1932, in Xenia, Illinois and lived a full life of joy interacting with family, friends, students, and community leaders.
Hal is survived by his loving wife Joyce of 61 years who took great and loving care of him for many years, but devoted her entire time to his care for about the last 4 years of his life.
He is survived by two sons and their spouses, Jon and Phyllis Cantrell of Green Cove Springs, and Michael and Shayla Cantrell from Ladera Ranch, California. Also survived by his loving grandchildren, Katie Ewing (Michael), Jenny Waynick (Robert), Danielle Garner (Brandon), Jon’s children and their spouses; and California grandchildren Madison, Rylee, Noah, Sadie and Jaxon Cantrell. Harold was a great grandfather to five including Judah, Zachery and Hadassah Ewing and Zoey and Dylan Waynick. He is also survived by his sisters, Saundra Wright of Noble, Illinois, and Jane Scaturro of Boynton Beach, Fl. He was predeceased in death by his parents, Rex and Esther Cantrell of Xenia, IL
Harold was Navy Veteran from the Korean War years serving in the Panama Canal zone and on the USS Midway CV-41 in the Mediterranean where he was assigned to #5 motor launch and was also a gunner. After serving 4 years in the Navy, he attended college at Morehead State University in Morehead, KY where he received his BA degree, He taught one year in Ft Lauderdale, Florida at Strannahan Senior High School, then moved back to Illinois where he taught in the Rock Falls Elementary School System for 34 years and where he and his wife raised their two sons. He served as Athletic Director for District #13 in Rock Falls for many years and started the Wrestling program in the Junior High. He coached track and was President of Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball leagues as he had a real love for Baseball always being a St Louis Cardinal fan. He was a Coloma Township Park Commissioner for over 30 years and enjoyed keeping up with the local park systems.
Harold was a member of Rock River Christian Center in Rock Falls and for the past 22 years and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Flagler Beach, Florida where he spent many years of volunteer service. His greatest joy, besides his wife Joyce, was golfing, playing cards, collecting baseball cards and traveling to see new sites around the country. He enjoyed being around friends, and experiencing what life had to offer. He loved when his family came to visit especially his last few years. The joys of each new baby in the family made him smile and whistle. He was loved by his family and will be sadly missed.
A memorial service will be held on August 4, 2017 at 4 pm in the afternoon at the First Baptist Church of Flagler Beach, 300 North Central Avenue, Flagler Beach, FL 32136.