Don Cantrell, a longtime newsman, artist and historian, and a member of the Newport Harbor High School Hall of Fame, died April 3, while surrounded by family at his home in Albuquerque, N.M. He was 91.
He lived with great humility, spirit and joy, as well as an unmatched sense of humor and ability to convey empathy and the right words to say to others during difficult times.
Cantrell was my confidant, friend, mentor, former colleague and faithful pen pal who wrote letters and poems, sent personal artwork and holiday cards and regularly illustrated cartoons with timely, funny and uplifting messages.
He had an unwavering flair for staying in touch with friends and former classmates and always found the positive side of things in life, no matter how challenging the circumstances. If there was ever a problematic situation, Cantrell was always the man to communicate with for encouragement and support.
Cantrell broke his hip a year-and-a-half years ago and never fully recovered physically, according to his wife, Leslie. He had been in hospice care since late February because of complications from vascular and genetic heart disease.
“He had a complex health profile,” said his wife of 40-plus years. “After he broke his hip it was tough. He was always a great soul and spirit.”
Born July 12, 1932, in Mansfield, Ark., Cantrell grew up in an era well-described in Tom Brokaw’s book as “The Greatest Generation,” enduring the sacrifices and hard conditions of the Great Depression and World War II. His family eventually settled in the Costa Mesa/Newport Beach area.
He graduated in 1950 from Newport Harbor High, where he was a standout quarterback on the football team at 5-foot-7, 155 pounds, engineering the upstart Sailors to an unforgettable record-setting 8-1 campaign in the fall of 1949. Their one loss came against Sunset League champion Fullerton, when only league champions qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs. The Tars accumulated a school-record 323 points, an average of 36 points per contest, while shutting out four opponents.
Cantrell, an All-Sunset League selection, completed 63% of his passes, averaging 13.3 yards per completion, an astonishing rate at the time. Among his highlights: three touchdown passes against Fullerton.
He studied journalism at Willamette University in Oregon and Long Beach State, served in the California National Guard and U.S. Army Signal Corps and enjoyed a successful career in the news business, including as sports editor for the Costa Mesa Globe Herald and city editor for the Daily Pilot. He wrote for The Orange County Register, in which one of his editorials about Vietnam was read into the Congressional Record in 1968. Cantrell was the last editor of the famed Old West newspaper The Tombstone Epitaph in Arizona.
As a visual artist, Cantrell’s work was exhibited several times, including in 11 solo shows. His early pieces were juried into the first Orange Coast College alumni art exhibit and the first Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach in 1967. One of his photographs was featured at the Laguna Festival of Arts production. Cantrell also wrote the play “Estancia Gold.”
Cantrell was a public relations administrator at Cypress College in 1975, conceiving the idea for the annual Cypress College Americana Awards program to honor patriotic individuals. Cantrell’s charitable endeavors included the Kiwanis, Salvation Army, Costa Mesa Fish Fry and the Veterans Administration.
He is survived by his wife, Leslie, and eight children from a blended family: Kelly Martin, Mikel Ann (Bunny) Dooher, Teresa Conrad, Robert Cantrell, Richard Cantrell, Troy Cantrell, Jesse Fishman and Dillon Fishman. He has 15 grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren.
A memorial service is planned for early May in Albuquerque, where he lived the past four decades.
