Erica LaRae (Crews) Cantrell, daughter of Chris and Glenda (Koehler) Crews, was born on Feb. 26, 1996, in West Plains, Missouri. She departed this life at her home in Plato, Missouri, on March 4, 2026, at the age of 30.
Erica was raised in Aurora, Missouri, and graduated from Aurora High School in 2014. During her high school years she was an active member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) for four years. She served as area president, chaplain, secretary and treasurer, and was a member of the Area Secretary Advisory Committee. Erica received the American FFA Degree in 2015, the highest level of achievement in the FFA program. She was also a member of the Grassland National Championship Team and participated in both basketball and volleyball.
She continued her education at Missouri State University, graduating cum laude in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education. While attending college, she worked at Colton’s Steakhouse and Jack Henry. Erica always set high goals and had great ambition in whatever she set out to do. Some might call her an overachiever; really, she was just determined to be the very best she could be.
On Sept. 14, 2019, she was united in marriage to the love of her life, Caleb Dean Cantrell. Together they shared many adventures, including traveling to countless St. Louis Cardinals games. They dreamed of visiting 30 Major League Baseball stadiums and made it to six. Their travels took them to 19 states, with plans to eventually see all 50. One final adventure took them to Hawaii to celebrate a honeymoon of a lifetime. But it wasn’t just these grand experiences that made their relationship special — it was the day-to-day life, whether they were checking cattle, fixing fences (she was never one to sit still and could outwork most even on a slow day) or wandering the backroads of the small town she called home.
Erica loved traveling and new adventures. Yellowstone National Park was her favorite destination, and she visited it twice. She and her sister-in-law, Caylen, even purchased a school bus with plans to remodel it and travel across the United States. Even still, one of her favorite places to visit was local — Holy Grounds, where her drink of choice was the Berry Neighborly.
She had a deep love for agriculture and enjoyed raising Black Angus cattle. She especially loved riding her four-wheeler each day to check on her cows, a passion she shared with her Pa Koehler and her Grandpa Buck.
Erica was employed at Plato R-V School District as the agriculture education teacher and FFA adviser, where she invested her time and heart into her students and the agriculture program. She was beloved by her students and coworkers, many of whom would note that you never found Erica without her smile (even on days when the students could be trying). She had a notable voice, an infectious laugh and a warm smile that could be noted from a hallway away.
She greatly enjoyed spending time with her nieces and nephews and was a devoted aunt. She would be described as the calm to her family’s chaos — a constant — showing anyone who knew her that Jesus was real even, and especially, in times of trial.
Erica was an active member of Roby Baptist Church, where she faithfully attended ladies Bible studies and helped teach Vacation Bible School.
Her favorite Bible verse was John 13: 34-35, “So now I am giving you a new commandment. Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
She lived this verse every day in the way she treated others. After being diagnosed with a glioblastoma in the fall of 2023, Erica dedicated her time, resources and energy to advocating for cancer treatment and doing all she could to raise awareness and money for brain cancer research. Even now her family asks that memorial contributions be made to Siteman Cancer Center, where Erica fought with courage and faith for all the time she could manage with her husband and family.
Though her life would end much too quickly to the illness, Erica loved knowing that her reward would be being with Jesus. And there is comfort in knowing that now He holds her in His arms.
She was preceded in death by her Pa, Dale Koehler; her father-in-law, Lyle Dean Cantrell; and her niece, Adley Lay Cantrell.
Those who cherish her memory include her husband, Caleb Dean Cantrell of the home in Plato; her parents, Chris and Glenda Crews of Phillipsburg, Missouri; her brothers, Tyler (Shannon) Crews of Competition, Missouri, and Ryan (Cam) Crews of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; her grandparents, Buck and Sue Crews of Plato, and Betty Koehler of Competition, Missouri; her mother-in-law, Paula Cantrell of Plato; her sisters-in-law, Julie Parrish of Plato; Caylen Cantrell of Branson; and her brother-in-law, Clifton Cantrell (Kayla) of Plato.
She is also lovingly remembered by her nephews, Arlis and Jonah Crews, Andrew and Austin Parrish and her nieces, Aubrey, Ailee, Audie, and Ansley Cantrell.
Erica is further remembered by her uncle, Eric (Lynn) Crews of Plato; her aunts, Annette Howell (David) of Grovespring, Missouri, Marsha Kimery of Competition, Ronda Newlin (Dan) of Lebanon, Pam Charles (Rick) of Blue Springs, Missouri, Penny Collins (Andy) of Independence, Missouri, and Judy Ryan (Korey) of Plato, along with many other relatives, friends and neighbors, students and church family who will miss her dearly.
Funeral services for Erica Cantrell are Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Roby Baptist Church in Roby. Visitation is from 9 to 11 a.m., and the funeral service will begin at 11 a.m., with Brother Wes Mayfield and Brother Craig Grisham officiating. Erica will be buried at Dutch Chapel Cemetery in Embree, Missouri, under the direction of Craig-Hurtt Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Siteman Cancer Center or Dutch Chapel Cemetery, in care of the funeral home.