Mike (Skinny) Cantrell’s story is one they make movies about. His mother didn’t want him, his father didn’t want him, so they left him to a widowed Grandmother. She was a Christian woman, had a small house near downtown and a small income. She didn’t have the strength to manage a young boy. She was able to offer direction and tutoring, Mike was pretty much on his own. She provided a safe warm place to live with what food she could afford. He developed a strong love and appreciation of her, but still ended up wandering the streets at night. His mother remarried and had the son she wanted – only making life worse for Mike.
He attended school as possible and found odd jobs for income. He had a paper route and picked up trash at Frank’s drive in (although he felt it was more charity than a job). Small town didn’t offer many charity or job opportunities (in the 50’s and 60’s). He ended up looking for mentorship around town into the late hours. Do not know how much trouble he got into but at least he was never caught. He wasn’t stupid and learned quickly. During High School he was my “Find out who your friends are” before the song was written.
He graduated, went into Air Force National Guard, got married and had a son. Soon she left and he was a single parent, working as an IBM service tech on copiers and other items. He went to TU law school at night, eventually graduated and passed the bar. Evidently, he was doing well as a lawyer and had an office with a few lawyers working for him. He was the city attorney for Coweta for a while. He married a few more times and the son joined the military and eventually left (for one reason or another). Things were good for several years and then his health and the medical industry failed him.
In the mid 70’s we lost touch and around 2015, I decided to find him again. By searching, I found him living in a 2-room government subsidized apartment. I knocked on the door and walked in after 45+ years. He was in a wheel chair but other than that, fairly healthy. Visited him and had lunch every few weeks for several years. He didn’t have much contact with the ex’s and had a few friends from the past and a scruffy dog that he got when one of the other residents passed.
On one of my visits, I quoted he had a “value system forged by something other than privilege.” I thought it applied.
One afternoon, after lunch, I decided I needed to move on for several reasons. I told him if he needed ANYTHING, to call me, and like so many others, left.
Larry Mike (Skinny) Cantrell October 2, 1948 - July 19, 2024 (75 years old)
One evening after graduating from high school, while enjoying a few beers, Mike said he wanted to be a lawyer, Jack Edwards said he wanted to be a bank president, and I said I wanted to be an engineer ………….…. 3 for 3.
Ray Chubb
Mike (Skinny) Cantrell’s story is one they make movies about. His mother didn’t want him, his father didn’t want him, so they left him to a widowed Grandmother. She was a Christian woman, had a small house near downtown and a small income. She didn’t have the strength to manage a young boy. She was able to offer direction and tutoring, Mike was pretty much on his own. She provided a safe warm place to live with what food she could afford. He developed a strong love and appreciation of her, but still ended up wandering the streets at night. His mother remarried and had the son she wanted – only making life worse for Mike.
He attended school as possible and found odd jobs for income. He had a paper route and picked up trash at Frank’s drive in (although he felt it was more charity than a job). Small town didn’t offer many charity or job opportunities (in the 50’s and 60’s). He ended up looking for mentorship around town into the late hours. Do not know how much trouble he got into but at least he was never caught. He wasn’t stupid and learned quickly. During High School he was my “Find out who your friends are” before the song was written.
He graduated, went into Air Force National Guard, got married and had a son. Soon she left and he was a single parent, working as an IBM service tech on copiers and other items. He went to TU law school at night, eventually graduated and passed the bar. Evidently, he was doing well as a lawyer and had an office with a few lawyers working for him. He was the city attorney for Coweta for a while. He married a few more times and the son joined the military and eventually left (for one reason or another). Things were good for several years and then his health and the medical industry failed him.
In the mid 70’s we lost touch and around 2015, I decided to find him again. By searching, I found him living in a 2-room government subsidized apartment. I knocked on the door and walked in after 45+ years. He was in a wheel chair but other than that, fairly healthy. Visited him and had lunch every few weeks for several years. He didn’t have much contact with the ex’s and had a few friends from the past and a scruffy dog that he got when one of the other residents passed.
On one of my visits, I quoted he had a “value system forged by something other than privilege.” I thought it applied.
One afternoon, after lunch, I decided I needed to move on for several reasons. I told him if he needed ANYTHING, to call me, and like so many others, left.
Larry Mike (Skinny) Cantrell October 2, 1948 - July 19, 2024 (75 years old)
One evening after graduating from high school, while enjoying a few beers, Mike said he wanted to be a lawyer, Jack Edwards said he wanted to be a bank president, and I said I wanted to be an engineer ………….…. 3 for 3.