Robert Marshall Cantrell

Robert Marshall Cantrell was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

Robert was born on July 3, 1945 at his home in Depew, Oklahoma. His parents were Alfred and Margarite Cantrell. Robert's parents moved to California where he was raised. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

Growing up in the Cantrell household was a bit different than most homes. There were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, Robert was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared, and he was the one person in the family who seemed able to keep the stress at bay. Robert was raised with six siblings. He had four sisters; Alfreda Miller, Mary Jones, Virginia Pugh, Joan Mauch, and two brothers, James Cantrell and Charles Cantrell. Robert was constantly involved in activities with his brothers and sisters. Robert and his siblings may have had the typical rivalries while growing up but Robert was always consistently loyal to his family.

As a young child, Robert was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn’t pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Robert developed a variety of interests, though, and the things he enjoyed doing he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Robert took part in hunting, fishing, and anything to be outdoors. However, what Robert enjoyed most was simply spending time with his family and many friends.

On July 25, 1970 Robert exchanged wedding vows with Ricki A. Lyford at the Justice of the Peace of Reno, Nevada. Compassionate and devoted to Ricki, Robert held endearing, traditional values about marriage and family life. He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment. He was a source of strength to Ricki and using his gifts at nurturing one-on-one relationships, he worked hard to make his new family happy.

Robert brought the same traditional values in his marriage to bear on how he raised his children. He was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would always listen carefully and think things through before he acted, even when it was an adverse situation. Robert was also a walking schedule, always seeming to know what everyone in the family needed to do, where they needed to be and when they needed to be there. Robert was blessed with four children, four sons, Robert B. Cantell (Choyia), Dale L. LyFord (Kari), Darryle L. LyFord, Billy LyFord (Jill). They were also blessed with fourteen grandchildren, Jerod, Lauren, C.J., Mendi, Wendi, Jeromy, Derek, Scotty, Josh, Cory, Alysha, Cody, Ryan, Nicole. Along with five Great-grandchildren and two on the way.

Robert liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into his hobbies, where he was very methodical in how he organized his activities and categorized things. Since he enjoyed his private time, Robert always tried to allocate a specific time for working on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were hunting, camping, riding quads, working at home and barbecuing. Robert was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Robert Marshall Cantrell. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.