James E. "Jim" Cantrell

Mr. James E. "Jim" Cantrell, Sr., 77, of Ocean Springs, MS, died Friday, December 8, 2006, in Ocean Springs. Mr. Cantrell was born August 11, 1929, in Cromona, Kentucky and had been a longtime resident of Ocean Springs. He was a retired U. S. Air Force Veteran with 26 years of service where he played tennis on many air force teams. He has been a professional tennis player at Treasure Oak Country Club for the past twenty one years and has been a member of the U. S. Professional Tennis Association since 1972. He served as the regional director of the Southern Professional Tennis Association for Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas for eight years where he also served in the capacity of second vice president for two years. He was awarded "Player of the Year for the South" in 1981 and awarded "Pride of the South" in 1983. In 1981 he was a member of the Southern Professional Tennis Association Tennis Team and won 45 single matches. He was also awarded "Professional of the Year for Mississippi" in 1978 - 1979. Mr. Cantrell coached the Lady's 1988 Volvo 2.5 team and finished third in the nation. He coached Men's 1987 Volvo 5.0 team and finished fifth in the nation. Many of his students have obtained national rankings. Two have received the "High School All American" award and ten students were awarded college scholarships. He won the "Senior Bowl Classic" in both singles and doubles six times and he was ranked "Number One" in Mississippi in every age division, 35, 45, and 55, in both singles and doubles. Mr. Cantrell was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs where he served as a former deacon and elder of the church. He was preceded in death by his wife, Estelle Cantrell. Survivors include his daughter, Donna Carter, of Papillion, NE; son, Jim Cantrell, Jr., of Henderson, NC, and granddaughter, Tracy Isenberg, of Knoxville, TN. Funeral services will be Tuesday, December 12, 2006, at 11:30 a.m. at Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home Chapel in Ocean Springs where friends may visit one hour before service time. Interment will follow in Biloxi National Cemetery