Charles Wesley Cantrell
Greenville Herald Banner
Wednesday, Dec 20, 2006
Charles Wesley Cantrell, 78, of Greenville went home Dec. 17, 2006, in time to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, following a long and courageous battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He has been released from his physical pain and is breathing fresh air in Heaven.
Services are at 10:30 a.m. today at Highland Terrace Baptist Church with Brothers Bob Layman and Royce Litchfield officiating. Burial follows in Memoryland Memorial Park.
Friends described Mr. Cantrell as a unique person known for his sense of humor and his ability to see the positive side of any situation.
He was born Jan. 12, 1928, in Huntsville, Ala., son of Henry and Grace McAnally Cantrell. In September 1946 he joined the United States Signal Corps and served in the Korean Conflict, attaining the rank of staff sergeant and receiving three gold stars and a good conduct medal before being honorably discharged in August 1951.
Mr. Cantrell then moved to Tulsa, Okla., and was employed at Douglas Aircraft for 10 years before moving to Greenville in June 1961 to work in the Engineering Department at Temco (LTV). He was a born engineer, and problem solving was his specialty — whether there was a problem to be fixed or not. He loved his job and was inspired by and had great respect for his co-workers, He retired from E-Systems in 1990.
A longtime member of Highland Terrace Baptist Church (formerly Washington Street Baptist Church), Mr. Cantrell was a deacon and served in a variety of church committees and in many other capacities, including training union director, Sunday school teacher and choir member.
Mr. Cantrell married Vesta Mae Lewis in Tulsa, Okla., on Dec. 19, 1953; she survives him. They were blessed with two sons, Randy and Gary Cantrell of Greenville, who also survive. Other survivors include Randy’s wife, Jane; grandchildren Catherine Cantrell of Greenville and Emma Cantrell and Dylan Dobson of Denton; a brother, Jerry and wife Virginia of Huntsville, Ala.; sisters Charlotte Aulridge of Memphis, Tenn., Jeanette Burgess and husband Buddy of Guntersville, Ala. Jettie Sue Darrell of Albertsville, Ala.; and a brother-in-law, Merle Lewis and wife Dorothy of Sperry, Okla. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Robert and Gene Cantrell; and several nieces and nephews. Pallbearers are Jerry Bench, Bill Dennis, Gary Griffin, Lee Harp, Jerry Press and Danny Walker. Honorary pallbearers are Taylor Green and Troy Meeks, who were ordained as deacons along with Mr. Cantrell at Washington Street Baptist Church on April 26,1964; members of his Sunday school class and the Highland Terrace deacon body.
Memorials may be made to the Highland Terrace Baptist Church Building Fund.
Coker-Mathews Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Submitted by Elaine Nall Bay
