Beatrice "Eileen" Cantrell

Beatrice Eileen Cantrell 94, of Indianapolis, Indiana, died quietly on March 18, 2016 at Greenwood Meadows Nursing Home. She had been ill for a several months, having suffered a stroke in September of last year. Eileen, as she was known to family and friends, lived a full and productive life. She was the first member of her family to attend college, having graduated in 1944 from Athens College in Athens Alabama. It was there that she met Charles Cantrell, her husband of more than 60 years. After graduation, she moved for a short time to St. Louis, Missouri. Shortly after their marriage in 1944, Charles and Eileen enrolled at the New Orleans Baptist Seminary in New Orleans, La. In 1949, after seminary, Charles and Eileen moved to Indianapolis to take the pastorate of Oak Park Baptist Church where Eileen played an active roll in helping to build the young congregation. All of her life she was completely dedicated to the church and her life of faith. She always helped her husband guide and shepherd the congregations where Rev. Cantrell pastored. In 1953, they moved from Oak Park to Woodland Baptist Church, on the south side of Indianapolis. There, they soon began a building program that resulted in a fine new sanctuary and a growing congregation. In 1964, the family moved to Southport, and Rev. Cantrell took the pastorate at Star Baptist Church in the country near Greensburg, Indiana. In 1963, Eileen began teaching in the Indianapolis Public School system, completing a Master's Degree in 1970. After completing her student teaching, she began teaching at IPS School 35 before transferring to IPS 26, John Hope School, on East 16th Street. She continued teaching there until she retired in 1996. For the last several years, Eileen has lived quietly in the home that she and Charles purchased in the early 60's, tending her yard and her flowers. Always an avid gardener, her house was filled with green plants and flowers, as was her yard. Always active, she continued mowing her lawn up through her late eighties, despite having had hip replacement surgery and suffering from arthritis. An acquaintance who knew her well once commented that Eileen could work any two men in to the ground. Eileen's parents were Oliver Kiker Flowers and Florence Ophelia Few of Thomaston, Alabama. She had six siblings: Frances, Thomas, Elizabeth, Daniel, Carrie, and Charlie. A close-knit family, they kept in touch over the years, visiting and calling often with each other. Visitation is 4PM to 8 PM Wednesday, and 9 to 10 AM Thursday. She will be laid to rest in Lincoln Memorial Gardens beside her husband, who died in 2005.The funeral service for Mrs. Cantrell is March 24, 2016 at Little & Sons at 10 AM. The service will be officiated by her grandson, Jared Paul Cantrell, pastor at Oak Park Baptist Church. Mrs. Cantrell is survived by her siblings Frances, Elizabeth, Daniel, and Carrie. She is also survived by all of her children: Charles (Margaret Cartmell), Dean (Sherry Fleck), Lydia (Jack Sandlin) and Paul (Kimberly Murphy). There are twelve grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Charles, her parents, Oliver Kiker Flowers and Florence Ophelia (Few) and two siblings: Thomas and Charlie. Arrangements under the direction of Little & Sons Funeral Home, Indianapolis, IN.