Nathan Lee Cantrell, 77, of Ocean Isle Beach, NC and Punta Gorda, FL passed away at his Ocean Isle home on Friday, September 7th, 2018.

Born July 7, 1941 in Alexandria, VA, he was the son of the late W. Lee Cantrell and Cordie Orton Cantrell. Nate graduated from Annandale High School in Virginia in 1960. He served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Nate graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1967 with a degree in accounting. He was a CPA in Atlanta after graduation. He then held various financial positions in businesses in several states. Nate retired from Craftmaster Furniture in Taylorsville, NC after more than twenty years as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

Nate embraced life with a joyful smile. He cherished moments and adventures with family, friends and neighbors. Nate was an active vibrant man; a scuba diver, snow skier, fisherman, boater and hunter. He and his wife, Jan, loved the outdoors and travelled, explored, and fell in love with the beauty and grandeur of our National Parks. Nate was so proud of his four children and three grandsons. He enjoyed helping others. He put that gift into action by going on three mission trips to Mexico and doing hurricane relief work in both Wrightsville Beach, NC and Biloxi, MS after storms. Nate was an active member of Seaside United Methodist Church in Sunset Beach, NC and an associate member of First United Methodist Church in Punta Gorda, FL.

Nate is survived by his wife of 35 years, Jan White Cantrell. He is also survived by his daughter Celeste Cantrell and Neil Batson of Chapel Hill, NC, sons, Scott Cantrell and Deborah Guerin of Mooresville, NC, Chris and Annie Cantrell of Oakland, CA, and Andy and Meredith Cantrell of Atlanta, GA. Grandsons David and Adam Batson of Chapel Hill and Walker Cantrell of Atlanta also survive him. Mother in-law, Bunny White, sister in-law, Sandy and Bruce Jones, nephew Brian and Molly Jones, and great-nephew, Luke Jones also adored him.

A memorial service will be held at 2 pm on Thursday, September 27th at Seaside United Methodist Church in Sunset Beach, NC. The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall after the service.

Memorials may be made to Seaside United Methodist Church, 1300 Seaside Rd SW, Sunset Beach, NC 28468 or Samaritan’s Purse Hurricane Florence Relief, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 or the National Park Foundation, 1110 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005