Bro. Larry D. Cantrell

Larry Dwayne Cantrell was born July 4th, 1967, to Barry and Mildred Rice Cantrell. Larry won the victory over scleroderma on Thursday, January 9th, 2025, at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, TN.

 Larry graduated from Goodlettsville High School in 1985, excelling in football and track. Because God gifted Larry with exceptional athletic abilities, Larry was awarded a myriad of trophies and accolades in football and track. 

 The influence of Christian mentors, Brother and Sister Watts, aided Larry in discovering the necessity of having a personal relationship with God. Therefore, as a response to his faith in Christ, Larry was baptized in December 1985.

Upon graduating High school, Larry attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa on a track scholarship, where he continued to excel in track while pursuing a degree in Sports Management. Larry met and married his life partner, Cauline Harris, on March 5th, 1989, and their union produced two sons, Lawrence Clayton and Luke Anthony. 

 Larry wanted to influence as many people as possible to follow Christ, so he received his Master of Arts in Religion from David Lipscomb University in 1992.

 Larry’s ministry began in 1992 at Nashville Inner City Ministry, where he served as an evangelist to the families in Preston Taylor community homes for underprivileged families until 2000. Larry’s journey to expand the Kingdom led him to work in ministry in Florida and Tuscaloosa. Somewhere in the crevices of their soul, Larry and Cauline believed they would return to Nashville to work with underprivileged families again. 

 In 2008, Larry and Cauline returned to Nashville Inner City Ministry, where Larry was the executive director. Additionally, Larry served on the preaching team and as an Elder of the Nashville Inner City Church.

Larry's love for Jesus Christ, his outgoing personality, his love for all people, and his desire to teach as many people about Christ as possible resulted in his working through chronic pain, extreme weight loss, and pulmonary and cardiac issues for seven years. Larry’s motivation to “fight on” was because he loved the Lord, and he saw each person through the eyes of Christ. Despite his limitations, he was available to assist humanity from all walks of life.

 When diagnosed with scleroderma in 2017, Larry stated that scleroderma was not going to drag him to the grave; instead, he was going to drag scleroderma to the grave and gain victory over his illness through the resurrection of Christ. Well done, Larry, you accomplished your goal!

Larry was preceded in death by his mother, Mildred Cantrell (2002); his grandmother, Mary Rice (2001); his father, Barry Cantrell (2023); Uncles Joseph L. Cantrell, Jr. (2018), William Cantrell (2020)

 He leaves to cherish his memories his beloved wife of 35 years, Cauline (Clay and Luke); his brother, James Black (Arianna Johnson, Azzarya Black, N’hmyah Black) uncles Sammy Rice, Robert Rice, and Bud Rice; Aunts Georgia Shannon and Clara Dalton (Trenae and Robert), cousins Cortez, Kearra, Marquice, Darisha, Cortez, Cherrie, Secret, Kiazia, BJ, Mary, Markell, Oscar Cantrell, Ronnie Cantrell, Shon Hassell, William L. Lockridge a host of other family members and devoted friends.