Willa Mae (Crewse) Cantrell

Willa Mae Cantrell, daughter of the late Luther and Rosie (Sullivant) Crewse, was born on September 18, 1932 in Graff, Missouri, and departed this life on Tuesday evening, September 4, 2012 at her residence near Plato, Missouri, with her family by her side. She was 79 years, 11 months, and 16 days of age.

Willa grew up in the Graff Community and attended the Crewse School near Graff. She was united in marriage to Carl Cantrell on July 3, 1948 in Wright County, Missouri. Three children were born to this union. They made their home on AE Highway near Plato for over forty years.

Willa was employed by White Castle Janitorial Services as well as a fulltime homemaker. She was a volunteer at the Waynesville Nursing Center and was a hostess for the monthly fishing trips. She also volunteered at the Pulaski County Animal Shelter.

She enjoyed gardening, yard work and cooking. Her specialties were biscuits and gravy, homemade rolls, fried pies, donuts and cinnamon rolls. She also enjoyed crocheting and playing the card game, pitch, with her family and neighbors.

Willa was a wonderful, loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, friend, and neighbor. She will be truly missed by those who knew and loved her.

She was a longtime member of the Plato Christian Church, where she enjoyed attending services as long as her health permitted.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by six brothers: Murve, Clarel, Willis, Leavern, Elston, and Armor Cantrell; and by three sisters: Lavell Rayborn, Marie Boykin, and Gladys Crewse.

She is survived by her husband: Carl Cantrell of their home; one son: Lyle Dean Cantrell and his wife, Paula, of Plato, Missouri; two daughters: Judy Ryan and her husband, Korey, of St. Roberts, Missouri, and Janice Cantrell- Hall and her husband, James, of Plato, Missouri; one brother: Bernard Crewse and his wife, Faye, of Willow Springs, Missouri; one brother-in-law; two sisters-in-law: Shelby Crewse and Renee’ Crewse; ten grandchildren: Julie Parrish, Clifton Cantrell, Caleb Cantrell, Caylen Cantrell, and Jenna Hall, all of Plato, Missouri, Raquel Evertt of Traverse City, Michigan, Jeremy Johnson, and Justin Johnson, both of Lebanon, Missouri, Mindy Mowery of Springfield, Missouri and Misty Obermark of Lebanon, Missouri; sixteen great-grandchildren: Andrew and Austin Parrish, Adrian, Ashley and Gracie Johnson, Dena, Carissa , Michael, and Brian Evertt, Jason, and Melanie Mowery, Quinn and Noah Lawson, Patricia and Britteny Blankenship, and Analise Obermark; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Memorial Contributions:
Dutch Chapel Cemetery Fund or Hospice Compassus c/o the funeral home.