David Lynn Cantor; Dec. 6, 2012
David Lynn Cantor never met a stranger. To know him was to love him. He lived life to the fullest. The world lost a great man Dec. 6 and we lost a great father. My dad was born in Anniston, Nov. 27, 1945.
He had five brothers and sisters. Only sisters Mona and Jenean and brother Lamar are still living. When he was 17, he joined the United States Navy and served on the USS Ticonderoga during the Vietnam War.
After he returned home he met my mother, Clyde, and they were married in August 1969. I, Jennifer was born in 1973 and my sister Meredith was born in 1975. Meanwhile, my Dad was a banker in Oxford. In 1978, the four of us moved to Alaska, the Last Frontier. For the first couple of years, my Dad stayed in banking but then opportunity called… He became a State Farm Agent. For 27 years, my Dad worked with “The Farm” in Anchorage. He loved being an agent and loved Alaska. He traveled all over the world and made friends everywhere he went. Alaska was always his true home.
Several years ago he retired and moved back to Alabama to be closer to me. In 1999, I gave him his first grandchild, Dahlia. Three years ago my sister blessed him with two more grandchildren, Sydney and Addison. Then 19 months ago his only grandson was born, Tyler. He loved his grandbabies and they loved their “Granddaddy”.
Last year, he bought a farm in Ardmore and had become a gentleman farmer. This past Thanksgiving he hosted a large family gathering at the farm. I am so thankful that we will have those special memories to remember him by.
To honor his memory we are having a Memorial Service on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 3 p.m. at Madison Chapel in Madison. Dad wanted to be cremated, next summer Meredith and I will take his ashes home, to Alaska.