Individual Details
Marjorie Helen Cantrell
(August 30, 1918 - January 6, 2015)
"Marjorie Helen Cantrell graduated from Drury College at Springfield, Missouri. She taught for nine years.
"Heberto B. Mendieta was a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and earned many hours at Texas A&M. He made his career in water chemistry for the U. S. Geological Survey, from which he is retired. He served for three years and two months in World War II." (Marjorie Cantrell Mendieta, 1995. Marjorie and Herbert Mendieta's address in 1995 was 1904 Berkeley Avenue, Austin, Texas 78745-4905.)
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Marjorie Cantrell was born on August 30, 1918 to the late Herbert and Ethel Cantrell in Bakersfield, Missouri. Her father was progressive enough to insist that a doctor deliver his firstborn child at their home. However, her parents had expected a boy and only had a name for him. So after a few days, Uncle Edward Cantrell took a long look at the newborn girl and decided that her name would be Marjorie. Later, as the family grew to include a brother, Herbert, Junior, and sister, Pauline, known as Polly, they found a permanent home in Clever, Missouri.
Marjorie graduated from Clever High School in 1934, second in her class, only due to the fact that she and the other top student drew straws. From there she received a B.A. of Education at Drury College in Springfield, Mo. She was very proud of her association with that institution and all the professors who mentored her.
Her first teaching assignment was in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Christian County. And as happened in those days, she was responsible for all duties, including janitorial service for the building. When World War II broke out, she sought to find a better paying job and found an offer from Bruni, Texas. Fearlessly, she set out for a place and culture change that would be the foundation for the rest of her life.
During her career in Bruni she taught grades 4-12. Included in those young students were six members of the Mendieta family. She got to know them all very well along with their parents. The only one missing was the eldest son, Herbert, who had been drafted and stationed in Hawaii immediately after Pearl Harbor.
Marjorie loved to teach literature and writing. One young student, Mona Perez, later to become a sister-in-law, recalled years later how much she had learned about writing from her teacher, Miss Cantrell. Marjorie was the campus sponsor of the Caliche yearbook. She helped chaperone senior trips to Monterrey and Mexico City. She even organized a writing project in which the Bruni Chapter of the Junior Red Cross corresponded with a chapter in London, England.
At the close of the war, Sergeant Herbert Mendieta came back to Bruni. Soon after they met and fell in love, Marjorie and Herb married on August 26, 1946. This date was picked so that they would both be the same age for a few days, as she was almost a year older than her new husband. They decided that they would go to Missouri for the wedding so that both sets of parents could meet for the first time. The chosen day was also on the weekend so that they had to travel across the state line to Kansas to find a justice of the peace to do the honors. They honeymooned in Branson, Missouri at Lake Tanneycomo.
Two children were born to Herb and Marjorie; Sara Bernadine, on November 22, 1947 and Hector Edward on August 11, 1958.
Marjorie’s career as an educator was cut short due to a progressive hearing loss caused by the childhood disease, measles. She turned her formal training into maintaining an emphasis of education for her two children and later her granddaughters. A favorite story time for all the young children was to hear her read from A.A. Milne. She even encouraged music education as she herself had learned to play the piano at age 5 when her parents bought her a used piano. All the family has practiced their piano pieces at one time or another on that very piano.
Another way she supported her family was to sew clothes for herself and the two children. She even made formal gowns for her daughter for the high school proms. Since Herbert was an avid gardener, she made jams and jellies from the abundant fruit trees, and cooked all variety of vegetables that came from the garden.
Her writing skills came in handy as she and Herb became supporters of all the elementary, junior high and high school PTAs that their children attended. She worked as secretary while Herb was president. One very memorable event they hosted was a panel of foreign teachers from Iran, Japan, and Brazil. Marjorie corresponded with those educators for many years. Later when Herb began writing a weekly garden column for the Austin American Statesman, she critically edited his work.
Her three granddaughters were another joy that enriched her life. She was always willing to help out by keeping them at her house when the parents went on vacations. The young girls loved to visit Grandmother and eat her special peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches.
Even as her health failed she loved to have the great-grandchildren visit and watched them cavort around the room. Pictures of them were always a welcome occasion.
As the family members who survive, her gracious spirit encourages us all.
(Published by Harrell Funeral Home, January 7, 2015)
"Heberto B. Mendieta was a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and earned many hours at Texas A&M. He made his career in water chemistry for the U. S. Geological Survey, from which he is retired. He served for three years and two months in World War II." (Marjorie Cantrell Mendieta, 1995. Marjorie and Herbert Mendieta's address in 1995 was 1904 Berkeley Avenue, Austin, Texas 78745-4905.)
......................................................................................................................................................................
Marjorie Cantrell was born on August 30, 1918 to the late Herbert and Ethel Cantrell in Bakersfield, Missouri. Her father was progressive enough to insist that a doctor deliver his firstborn child at their home. However, her parents had expected a boy and only had a name for him. So after a few days, Uncle Edward Cantrell took a long look at the newborn girl and decided that her name would be Marjorie. Later, as the family grew to include a brother, Herbert, Junior, and sister, Pauline, known as Polly, they found a permanent home in Clever, Missouri.
Marjorie graduated from Clever High School in 1934, second in her class, only due to the fact that she and the other top student drew straws. From there she received a B.A. of Education at Drury College in Springfield, Mo. She was very proud of her association with that institution and all the professors who mentored her.
Her first teaching assignment was in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Christian County. And as happened in those days, she was responsible for all duties, including janitorial service for the building. When World War II broke out, she sought to find a better paying job and found an offer from Bruni, Texas. Fearlessly, she set out for a place and culture change that would be the foundation for the rest of her life.
During her career in Bruni she taught grades 4-12. Included in those young students were six members of the Mendieta family. She got to know them all very well along with their parents. The only one missing was the eldest son, Herbert, who had been drafted and stationed in Hawaii immediately after Pearl Harbor.
Marjorie loved to teach literature and writing. One young student, Mona Perez, later to become a sister-in-law, recalled years later how much she had learned about writing from her teacher, Miss Cantrell. Marjorie was the campus sponsor of the Caliche yearbook. She helped chaperone senior trips to Monterrey and Mexico City. She even organized a writing project in which the Bruni Chapter of the Junior Red Cross corresponded with a chapter in London, England.
At the close of the war, Sergeant Herbert Mendieta came back to Bruni. Soon after they met and fell in love, Marjorie and Herb married on August 26, 1946. This date was picked so that they would both be the same age for a few days, as she was almost a year older than her new husband. They decided that they would go to Missouri for the wedding so that both sets of parents could meet for the first time. The chosen day was also on the weekend so that they had to travel across the state line to Kansas to find a justice of the peace to do the honors. They honeymooned in Branson, Missouri at Lake Tanneycomo.
Two children were born to Herb and Marjorie; Sara Bernadine, on November 22, 1947 and Hector Edward on August 11, 1958.
Marjorie’s career as an educator was cut short due to a progressive hearing loss caused by the childhood disease, measles. She turned her formal training into maintaining an emphasis of education for her two children and later her granddaughters. A favorite story time for all the young children was to hear her read from A.A. Milne. She even encouraged music education as she herself had learned to play the piano at age 5 when her parents bought her a used piano. All the family has practiced their piano pieces at one time or another on that very piano.
Another way she supported her family was to sew clothes for herself and the two children. She even made formal gowns for her daughter for the high school proms. Since Herbert was an avid gardener, she made jams and jellies from the abundant fruit trees, and cooked all variety of vegetables that came from the garden.
Her writing skills came in handy as she and Herb became supporters of all the elementary, junior high and high school PTAs that their children attended. She worked as secretary while Herb was president. One very memorable event they hosted was a panel of foreign teachers from Iran, Japan, and Brazil. Marjorie corresponded with those educators for many years. Later when Herb began writing a weekly garden column for the Austin American Statesman, she critically edited his work.
Her three granddaughters were another joy that enriched her life. She was always willing to help out by keeping them at her house when the parents went on vacations. The young girls loved to visit Grandmother and eat her special peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches.
Even as her health failed she loved to have the great-grandchildren visit and watched them cavort around the room. Pictures of them were always a welcome occasion.
As the family members who survive, her gracious spirit encourages us all.
(Published by Harrell Funeral Home, January 7, 2015)
Events
| Birth | August 30, 1918 | near Bakersfield, Ozark County, Missouri | |||
| Marriage | August 26, 1946 | Columbus, Cherokee County, Kansas - Herberto Bernardo "Herbert" Mendieta | |||
| Death | January 6, 2015 | Austin, Travis County, Texas | |||
| Burial | Cook-Walden Capital Parks Cemetery and Mausoleum, Pflugerville, Travis County, Texas |
Families
| Spouse | Herberto Bernardo "Herbert" Mendieta (1919 - 2006) |
| Child | Sara Bernadine Mendieta (1947 - ) |
| Child | Hector Edward Mendieta (1958 - ) |
| Father | Herbert Pinckney Cantrell Sr. (1890 - 1979) |
| Mother | Ethel May Vaughn (1893 - 1971) |
| Sibling | Herbert Pinckney Cantrell Jr. (1920 - ) |
| Sibling | Pauline May "Polly" Cantrell (1928 - ) |