Edd, affectionately known as “Big Edd” came into this world weighing a whopping 14 pounds! He’s had many titles over the years: Son, brother, husband, father, coach, but his favorite title of all was “PA."
Edd was raised in Sparta with five sisters and four brothers with two God-fearing parents who taught them to work hard, love God and treat everyone with kindness and respect. He came from an athletic family. He was a star basketball and football player for the Sparta Warriors. He went on and pursued a football career at the college level at the University of Tennessee from 1953 – 1956. He started as a true freshman and played all four years as a tight end and kicker, alongside his life-long friend Johnny Majors.
He had many accolades and accomplishments in his four years at UT. His sister Hannah made him a scrapbook of all the news articles of his college days that became a priceless treasure. He met the love of his life Hilda Louise Jones when he came to take her sister on a date! They married when Edd was a sophomore in college. They were blessed with 49 wonderful years of marriage before God called her home in 2003. They have two children, Cathy Suzanne Rowland (Tommy) and Edd Mason Cantrell, II (DeLisa).
Edd had a love for coaching and making a difference in the lives of the kids he coached. His coaching career spanned from Miami, Fla.; Moorehead, Ky.; Lebanon; Grundy County; McMinnville; and in later years, the little league football program in Sparta. Edd coached basketball at Grundy County where, to this day, that group of girls holds a special place in his heart.
He was honored to be in three hall of fames – Grundy County, Warren County and White County. He was the principal of Warren County High School when he retired in 1996. He moved the teachers and students to the “new” building in 1994. This was a big undertaking he couldn’t have done without great assistant principals, teachers and staff.
We have heard many times over the years how fair and kind he was to the students that got in trouble and had to come to his office. Each time the person would say "I deserved that paddling." It was always a joke that his wonderful secretary Elizabeth Smartt didn’t let anything happen in the office without her consent. She was a protector of Big Edd’s time and didn’t allow for any foolishness.
After retirement, he was able to golf with his brothers and friends and especially enjoyed golfing with his son and grandsons. A highlight he often talked about was a trip to Augusta to see the Masters with his brothers Stanton, Jim and Bobby. In later years, he met Kate Warrington who became a great friend and companion.
He moved back to Sparta in 2018 to live with his son and daughter-in-law on the old Jones homeplace. Edd had a wonderful life watching his five grandsons grow up to become fine young men. Edd was a strong man of faith, loved his family and good ol' gospel music. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him, but we know he is with his Heavenly Father and those that he loved that have gone on before him.
Survivors include his son, Edd M. Cantrell II; daughter-in-law, DeLisa Cantrell; grandsons, Rett Rowland (Shayna) of Sparta, Mason Rowland of Memphis, Hunter Cantrell (fiancé Caitlin Winburn) of Whitesburg, Tenn., Luke Cantrell (Madelyn) of Sparta and Andrew Cantrell of Tallahassee, Fla.; great grandchildren, Lyla and Gage Rowland; brother, Bobby Cantrell (Janie) of McMinnville, sisters, Carolyn Copeland of Sparta, Lum Ellen Mayberry and Mattie Burnette both of Cookeville; sisters-in-law, Minnie Cantrell and Earlayne Cantrell, both of Sparta, Ida Ruth Blunkall of Nashville and Mary Jane Taylor of Springfield, Tenn.; and brothers-in-law, Bobby Jack (Mary) Jones, Kenneth (Jessica) Jones, Ronald (Ann) Jones and David (Debbie) Jones all of Sparta. He was preceded in death by his wife, Hilda Jones Cantrell; daughter, Cathy Rowland; son-in-law, Tommy Rowland; brothers, Stanton, Fred and Jim Cantrell; sisters, Hannah Mize and Nannie Billings; and his parents, James Lum Cantrell and Mattie Arizona Virgie Manning Cantrell.
Serving as pallbearers will be Rett Rowland, Mason Rowland, Hunter Cantrell, Luke Cantrell, Andrew Cantrell and Edd M. Cantrell, II. Visitation at McMinnville Funeral Home will be held on Wednesday, April 3 from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Graveside service will be held at Plainview Cemetery in Sparta on Thursday, April 4 at 10:30 a.m. Family and friends will meet at the cemetery on Thursday.
Online condolences may be made at www.mcminnvillefuneralhome.com
McMinnville Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
Southern Standard
(McMinnville, Tenn.) April 3, 2024
