Earl Jennings Cantrell -- Language Teacher and Education Administrator

Earl Jennings Cantrell was born on December 25, 1923 in Everton, Arkansas, the second of four children born to William Emory Cantrell and Vida Viola Vinson Cantrell.  Vida’s father, Jesse Allen Vinson was born in Trigg County, Kentucky and had moved with his family to Lonoke County Arkansas in the 1860s. He later moved to Searcy County, Arkansas. In 1903 he purchased a 240 acre farm outside of Everton, Arkansas. In the 1920s, when Earl was a child, his family moved to Dalhart, Texas.

Earl graduated from the high school in Dalhart in 1941.  He then enrolled at Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) as a pre-med student.  Earl was accepted in the Baylor University School of Medicine in the spring of 1944 but was called to active duty to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. After finishing his basic training, Earl was designated by the army to study languages, focusing on the Japanese language. Initially he was assigned to the office of the Provost Marshal General in New York City for his language training.  After completing his training he was assigned as a language and sociology teacher to Japanese POW’s in Huntsville, Texas.  After the Japanese POW’s were repatriated, Earl was transferred to Fort Eustis, Virginia where he was promoted and assigned to assist with the management of German POW’s. Earl was discharged from the service in May 1946.

In the fall of 1946, Earl enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin.  He elected not to continue in medical school.  Instead, he began studies to prepare for a career as a teacher.  He graduated from the university with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish in 1950. Earl remained in school and continued with his graduate work in Spanish at the University of Texas.  He later left the university for a teaching position in Dumas, Texas, teaching Spanish and English. In 1954, he returned to Austin to further his graduate studies in educational administration.

Earl accepted a position at the Texas Education Agency, where he found himself drawn to the nature of the business at TEA, and worked there nine years, rising to the position of Director of the Division of Research. In 1963, Earl left TEA for a position at the Texas State Teachers Association, where he became the Director of Research. 

He retired from the TSTA in 1982 and went to work for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas as Director of Annuity Payroll.  He served in this position until his full retirement from the TRS in 1990.

Earl married Dorothea Mae Robertson on January 8, 1949 in Brazoria, Texas.  Dorothea was born on September 18, 1927 in Lawton, Oklahoma.  She was the daughter of Thomas Jack and Arlee Robertson and grew up in Oklahoma and New Mexico before moving to Dallas, Texas where she met Earl.  After their marriage they settled in Austin, Texas.  Earl and Dorothea were the parents of one child, a son, Steven Earl Cantrell, born in 1963.

Earl died on September 9, 2003 at the age of 79 in Austin, Texas following a valiant battle against cancer.  Earl was cremated and his ashes were scattered by his family. Dorothea died on October 17, 2004 at the age of 77 in Austin and also was cremated.  No record of any tombstones could be found for either Earl or Dorothea.

 

 THE LINEAGE:

(Earl Jennings Cantrell was the son of William Emory and Vida Viola Vinson Cantrell, grandson of Jesse Allen and Elizabeth Sims Vinson and great-grandson of Thomas Allison and Alpha Gemima Sholar Vinson.  Alpha was the ninth child of Allen and Jemima Bridges Sholar.  Jemima was the first child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges.)