Edd, affectionately known as “Big Edd,” came into this world weighing a whopping 14 pounds! He has 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, 1953-1956. He started as a true freshman and played all four years as a tight and kicker, alongside his life-long friend, Johnny Majors.
Edd had many accolades and accomplishments in his four years at U.T. 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, Florida; Moorehead, Kentucky; Lebanon, Tennessee; Grundy County, Tennessee; McMinnville, Tennessee; and later years the Little League football program, in Sparta, Tennessee. 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 Halls of Fame: 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 that he could not have done without great assistant from 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 he especially enjoyed golfing with his son and grandsons. A highlight he often talked about was a trip to Augusta to see the Masters Tournament with his brothers, Stanton, Jim, and Bobby. In later years, he met Kate Warrington who became a great friend and companion.
Edd 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. He loved his family and good ole 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.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James Lum Cantrell and Mattie Arizona Virgie Manning Cantrell; his wife, Hilda Jones Cantrell; daughter, Cathy Rowland; son-in-law, Tommy Rowland; brothers, Stanton, Fred, and Jim Cantrell; and sisters, Hannah Mize and Nannie Billings.
Survivors include his son, Edd M. Cantrell II and daughter-in-law, DeLisa Cantrell; grandsons, Rett Rowland (Shayna), of Sparta, Mason Rowland, of Memphis, Hunter Cantrell (fiancée Caitlin Winburn), of Whitesburg, Luke Cantrell (Madelyn), of Sparta, Andrew Cantrell, of Tallahassee, Florida; 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; and brothers-in-law, Bobby Jack (Mary) Jones, Kenneth (Jessica) Jones, Ronald (Ann) Jones, and David (Debbie) Jones, all of Sparta.
Serving as pallbearers will be Rett Rowland, Mason Rowland, Hunter Cantrell, Luke Cantrell, Andrew Cantrell, and Edd M. Cantrell II.
Graveside service will be 10:30 a.m., April 4, 2024, at Plainview Cemetery, in the Cassville community. Family and friends will meet at the cemetery.
McMinnville Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
