Obituary of Virginia Grace Cantrell

Virginia Grace (McCormick) Cantrell was born June 14, 1936 in Lebanon, Missouri, to Roscoe Jack and Zella Grace McCormick. She departed this life on April 18, 2016 at Christian Healthcare South, in Lebanon Missouri at the age of 79 years, 10 months, and 4 days. She was united in marriage to Paul Dean Reed, June 25, 1953. To this union was born four children, Jerry Dean Reed, Paul Eugene Reed, Virginia Jeanett Reed, and Bradley Franklin Reed. In October of 1984 she was married to Farris Cantrell. They spent 23 years together, first in Germany and then on their farm in Plato, Missouri. She worked at H. D. Lee Co., Walmart, Appling Grocery, Ferris Clothing, Lebanon Nursing Home, Mid-way Truck Stop, Lighthouse Christian Academy, and several other jobs. She and Farris ran the Manes Café and raised Limousine cattle on their farm. She always enjoyed working as a CSM at Walmart because she loved helping people. Virginia loved life. She enjoyed gardening, fishing, cooking, working, and she especially enjoyed dancing, whether it be the Manes Music makers, an organized dance or just a catchy tune anywhere. Even in her final years at the nursing facility she was known as the lady who loved to dance. She cherished the special trips that she and her sisters made together. Virginia loved her family. Her greatest joy was to have her family at her house. She loved her children and grandchildren. What happened at Grandma’s stayed at Grandma’s. She made the best fried chicken and Coconut Crème pies. She always had time for her family. Virginia cared about people. Whether it was someone down on their luck needing a hand, or a teen-ager with no place to go, she would open her home and her heart. Virginia was preceded in death by her parents, one brother Jackie McCormick, and her daughter Virginia Jeanett Reed. She is survived by three sons, Jerry Reed and his wife Jan of Sedalia, MO, Paul Reed of Moffit, North Dakota, and Brad Reed and his wife Joleen of Lebanon, MO; six grandchildren, Karrie Reed, Jeremy Reed, Kayla Hill, Bradley Reed, Krysta Baker, and Levi Reed; eight great grandchildren, Katelynn, Joshua, and Jackson Reed, Allison, Landon, and Raelyn Hill, Tucker Baker, and Canaan Reed. She is also survived by seven sisters, Helen Hamilton and her husband John of Blue Springs, MO., Sue Vandergrift of Lebanon, MO, Betty Stroup and her husband Duane of Lebanon, MO, Dorothy Rumbaugh and her husband Ivan of Richmond, MO., Barbara Myers of Blue Springs, MO., Glenda Agan of Lebanon, MO, and Rhonda Matzer of Lebanon, MO; many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and many friends. Though the good- bye has been long she will be greatly missed.