Donald was born in 1931 to the late Albert and Carolyn Cantrell in Huntington, New York.
As a young man Donald spent time working in the family business, J. T. Cantrell & Company, a maker of station wagon bodies.
Donald served with the United States Army in Korea from 1953 until 1955. Upon return he pursued a career in contract law, working first for Chrysler Corporation and later General Dynamics.
In 1963 he was wed with his beloved Mary, and the couple have four children.
Donald was a man of many interests and many talents. He loved to build things and he loved to work with machinery. In his lifetime he built boats, an experimental airplane, and an earth mover made from recycled truck parts.
In all of this, he loved to bring his family along with him. Whether skiing, sailing, traveling to six continents, or flying an airplane north of the Arctic Circle, he rarely did any of it alone.
Donald will be lovingly remembered by his adored wife of 56 years, Mary Elizabeth Cantrell; his sons Donald Andrew Cantrell, Daniel Cantrell and wife Courtney, Daryl Cantrell and wife Jessica; daughter Susan Weaver and husband Simon; and eleven grandchildren.
Family will receive friends and guests on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Apex Funeral Home. A funeral service starting at 2:00 PM will be followed by a graveside service at Wake Memorial Park in Cary, North Carolina.
If you would like to make a memorial donation, please consider With Love From Jesus, a local ministry in Clayton, North Carolina (withlovefromjesus.org).
Condolences can be shared at apexfuneral.net.
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