Cantrell: A teacher of life's lessons

Manatee County School Board Member Mary Cantrell’s passion for education lit up when she was a first-grade student in Texas.

She learned firsthand the power educators have on their students because her teacher, Mrs. Wickersham, encouraged her to work hard and always strive to learn more.

Cantrell didn’t have that support at home. She was orphaned twice — first when her mother took her and her three siblings to an orphanage after her father died and again when her mother abandoned her in an orphanage before she entered eighth grade, because she was “too much trouble."

As an educator, Cantrell encouraged children to succeed, regardless of their family's income level or other factors that were out of their control, she told the Observer recently.

"She always believed in second chances," said Minnie King, former William H. Bashaw Principal and Cantrell’s close friend.

Cantrell, 71, died July 12, after a battle with bone marrow cancer.

King befriended Cantrell after the two worked together on Cantrell's school board campaign.

She admired her passion for students and her decades of experience as an educator.

Although the women worked on opposite ends of the school spectrum — King in elementary and Cantrell in adult education — lunch date discussion topics ranged from ways to improve education in the county to updates on family happenings.

"Mary has made a difference in the lives of the people she has met over the years," King said. "She made a huge difference in Manatee County schools — more than anyone will ever know.”

A career in the classroom

Cantrell taught in a range of middle, high and vocational schools classrooms in Pinellas and Manatee counties during her nearly 50-year career in academics.

She spent 18 of those years as the director of MTC, previously known as Manatee Technical Institute.

"She loved that school," King said. "It was her heart."

She helped grow the school from one campus to four and boosted student counts from 500 to 10,000 by increasing the number of programs and diversifying curriculum.

She never believed in a "one-size-fits-all" education, she told the Observer days after she secured her spot on the school board.

For the last decade, MTC students have won more SkillsUSA awards than any other school in the competition.

"Her passion for technical, career and adult education, and her devotion to excellence among students and staff transformed MTC into one of the premier technical educational centers in the nation," Superintendent Diana Green said. "Her enthusiasm and pursuit of achievement began the tradition that has resulted in MTC students' (successes)."

Her years at the school are commemorated by the dedication of the main hall, or Cantrell Hall, at the main MTC campus, located on State Road 70. 

“She set high standards and found ways to inspire students and faculty to be both competitive and supportive of each other,” School Board Chairman Bob Gause wrote in an email. “One of her techniques to do this was through friendly competitions and gatherings. She created opportunities for student recognition and treated each as her most valuable treasure.”

Cantrell had been diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, and although she was in remission for a short time, the cancer returned, King said.

Cancer made it harder for Cantrell to bounce back from other health issues. But she never let her family and friends know she was in pain, King said.

In May, Cantrell visited King just before a thunderstorm rolled in to East County. King's 4-year-old granddaughter was watching the cartoon “Doc McStuffins,” and Cantrell didn't want to drive home in the storm.

"The three of us watched those cartoons together and Mary just laughed about the cartoons — we all did," King said. "She loved to laugh. As sick as she was, she was always laughing."

King didn't even know the severity of Cantrell's condition until June 29, when she heard hospice was evaluating Cantrell.

"She was a very private and proud person," King said. "She wouldn't succumb to the disease by telling people she had cancer."

Board members have already started discussions on creating a scholarship fund in Cantrell's name. 

"Although she could have retired, she had an educator's heart, and you can't get rid of that passion,” King said. “Almost to her last breath, she was doing everything she could to help other people, to help our students and to make their lives better."

Cantrell is survived by her husband of 50 years, Louis, five children and two grandchildren.

A celebration of life event will be held at a time to be determined Saturday, at Manatee Technical College. The event is preceded by a private funeral service for close family and friends, to be held in Pinellas County.

Cantrell's family asks in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her honor to the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida — Hoxie Neighborhood or The Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County.

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].