WISE, VA.                             DECEMBER14, 2023

Gary Earl Cantrell, 61, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, December 13th, 2023, after a long illness.

Gary was a retired coal miner. He was saved and baptized in the Freewill Baptist faith and attended Indian Creek Free Will Baptist Church.

Gary was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Hiram & Nell Cantrell; maternal grandparents, Earl & Jessie Slemp; mother, Norma Slemp Cantrell; brother, Joe Q. Cantrell; special sister, Donna D. Cantrell and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

He is survived by his father, Doil Cantrell; special parents, Joel and Sally Cantrell of Pound, VA; special sisters, Becke Elkins (Jimmy) of Wise, VA and Karen Cantrell of Stone Mountain, GA; nephews, Ethan Elkins (Lily) of Gray, TN and Noah Elkins of Wise, VA and a host of other family and friends who loved him dearly.

Gary's life was family and work. He worked as a heavy equipment operator for A&G Coal and JW Construction in most recent years. He enjoyed riding his motorcycle, working in his garden, with his animals and he loved his country. Gary was saved and baptized in the past year. Not only did he desire to get well and return to gardening, physically attending church and fishing but he wanted to be a fisher of men by sharing his love of Christ. He loved living in his home where his grandparents had raised their children and he honored their traditions of home and love for family.

Gary will always be remembered for his quick wit and sense of humor. He enjoyed making others laugh more than anything. As his illness progressed and humor was harder to find, he found a desire to grow closer to God and leave a lasting mark by telling others about what God had done for him. We will miss his strength and courage to overcome the hardships he faced in life and in death. He has received his heavenly body with no more pain and we know that he will be there to welcome us into Heaven.

A special thank you to the Caregivers who stayed around the clock with Gary over the last 4 months. They did not get to know the easy going, loving friend we all had. But, they loved him beyond the job and through his excruciating pain. Though there were so many who filled in temporarily and there were several constant companions to him: Sabrina, Tabitha, Ed, Curtis and Kevin. Thank you for helping us to keep him in the home he loved, surrounded by his family and friends for the remainder of his life.

Funeral services for Gary Cantrell will be conducted at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, December 17, 2023 at Sturgill Funeral Home Chapel in Wise VA with his cousin Ola Gene Cantrell and his friend Billy Hibbitts officiating. Burial will follow. Visitation will be held from 12:30 P.M. till time of services at 2:00 P.M. at Sturgill Funeral Home in Wise.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sturgill Funeral Home by mail at P.O. Box 1068 Wise, VA 24293 or by phone at 276-679-0048.

Please visit www.sturgillfuneral.com to leave online condolences for the family.

Sturgill Funeral Home 1621 Norton Road SW Wise, VA 24293 is in charge of arrangements.