Gene Cantrell
A celebration of life service for Edwin Eugene Cantrell, 76, West Plains, Mo., will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, at the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Gene passed away Jan. 31, 2020, at his home, surrounded by his wife Christel and sidekick, Tucker.
He was born March 6, 1943; as he would say, he was born the day Davey Crockett died, but a few years later. He was born in a boxcar in Hanford, Calif., to Kenneth and Nellie Cantrell.
Gene received his GED and went into the Army. He was a private in the United States Army from 1960 to 1963. Gene was a self-employed carpenter for 35 years.
He worked at Howell County Rural Fire District No. 1 as a maintenance man, working his way up to a safety officer, lieutenant and later a captain. He retired March 30, 2012, after 21 years of service. Gene put in countless hours to help build the department up to where it is today. He was instrumental in helping to establish the Howell County Rural Fire Station No. 1 building on K Highway.
Gene also worked at the U.S. Forestry service for a few years and hauled freight with Larry Piper for a number of years. He was a member of Elks Lodge.
Mr. Cantrell was a member of the Curry Street Church of Christ. If you knew Gene, you knew he was a jokester; he loved to joke around with his family and friends and enjoyed fishing, hunting and traveling. On May 28, 1966, he was married to Myra Lockhart, who preceded him in death Oct. 13, 2005. On April 5, 2008, he was married to Christel Auffert.
He is survived by his wife Christel Cantrell, of the family home; his sidekick Tucker George; father-in-law Joe Auffert, West Plains, Mo.; grandmother-in-law “Granny” Oleta Auffert, West Plains; two sisters Sharon Hunt and husband Bill, and Joanne Spitzer, all of the state of California; two sisters-in-law Nancy Cantrell, state of Oklahoma, and Stacie Auffert, West Plains; brother-in-law John Avila, state of California; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and several friends; and his special “Family” Joyce Piper and family, Chris and Sheri Piper and family, all of West Plains, Larry and Kelly Carter and family, state of Arkansas and Rick and Debbie Horn and family, West Plains.
His parents, grandparents, first wife, mother-in-law Gayla Auffert, one brother Larry Cantrell and one sister Karen Avila, preceded him in death.
A private burial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to family to give to various charities and events that Gene supported throughout the years, and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Online condolences may be expressed at www.robertsondrago.com.
