Jack Wellington Cantwell

Cantwell, Jack Wellington, 72, 07/15/1938 - 08/13/2010 On Aug. 13, 2010, Jack Wellington Cantwell, of Portland, died peacefully in his home with his wife, Ellen, and son, Bradford, by his side. But, oh how he lived! During his 72 years, he was a farm boy, high school cheerleader, U.S. Marine Corps Embassy Guard, student, business-man, teacher, director, traveler, gardener, and quilter. But above all, he was an actor-a happy, smiling, audience-loving actor. Jack was born July 15, 1938, in Flint, Mich., to Richard and Opal Cantwell. His family later moved to the Bootheel area of Missouri. Jack's childhood and character were shaped by his large, loving family-his parents and seven siblings, and his extensive extended family. Jack's strong longing to see the world may have led to his joining the U.S. Marine Corps at age 20, after having spent two years at Central Methodist College in Fayette, Mo. He served as an embassy guard in both Warsaw, Poland, and Madrid. After serving for four years, he was honorably discharged in 1962 as a lance corporal. Shortly after his discharge, Jack enrolled at Stanford University and that same month he met Ellen Jaline Twaddell there. In June 1963, Jack and Ellen married and moved to Columbia, Mo., where they continued their studies at the University of Missouri. Soon Jack was working as a salesman (when not involved in plays and readings, being a Boy Scout leader for handicapped boys, or taking part in meetings as an Optimist Club member). Jack and Ellen's first son, Bradford, was born in Columbia. After moving to San Francisco, their second son, Jack Q., was born. At 35, Jack enrolled at California State University, Fullerton, to study drama, his enduring love. He had earned his bachelor's degree and most of his master's degree when he was hired by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), as the oldest actor then in the acting company. His professional acting life began with his role as Phil Hogan in Eugene O'Neill's "A Moon for the Misbegotten," a production honored by performing the play at O'Neill's Tao House. Jack worked at OSF for several years, earning his equity card in the process. He took a break to return to Fullerton to teach and complete his master's thesis, The Characterization of H.L. Mencken in H.L. Mencken, An American Curmudgeon, later performing a one-man show based on the thesis at venues all over the U.S., and winning a Drama-Logue Critics Award for his performance. In 1982, Jack and Allen Nause (current artistic director of Portland's Artists Repertory Theater) formed National Theater Express. The company traveled in the U.S. and across Africa in a United States Information Service sponsored tour. Eventually, rheumatoid arthritis forced him to stop acting professionally, so he joined his brother, John, working as a structured settlement consultant based in Houston. Within a few years of starting this new career, Jack was the top producing consultant in the company. Jack and Ellen were living in Portland in 1999 when Jack was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Thus began the final act of his life, which he spent traveling, learning to speak German, enjoying entertaining family and friends, gardening, and designing and making quilts, before cancer took his life. Jack was a man of immense generosity, curiosity, and fortitude. When his health prevented him from satisfying his curiosity first-hand, he would read voraciously, letting his mind leap the fences when his body could not. He was a lively, adventurous, thoughtful and fiercely intelligent man, who loved a good joke and had a marvelous, lifting laugh. An ever-watchful student of human character and behavior, he loved and accepted people and they loved and accepted him in return. Jack is survived by his wife of 47 years, Ellen Jaline Cantwell; sons, Bradford Wellington Cantwell (Lisa) of Chicago, and Jack Quentin Weathers Cantwell (Katherine Johns) of Bainbridge Island, Wash.; grandson, McCoy Adams Cantwell; granddaughter, Alexa Jane Elizabeth Cantwell; brothers, J ohn, Buck, and Paul; sisters, Monda Davis, Carole Brown, and Christy Cantwell; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents; and elder brother, Richard. Jack's final curtain call will be held at a memorial service at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20, 2010, in Artists Repertory Theater, Portland. Parking will be available at the Alder Street Parking Garage and on the street.