Carl Junior Cardwell, age 69 of Calhoun, Misouri passed away Sunday, January 20, 2013 at St. Joseph Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri. Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Thursday, January 24, 2013 at the Vansant-Mills Chapel, Clinton, with burial in the Calhoun Cemetery, Calhoun, Missouri. The family will receive friends from 6:30 -8:00 p.m. Wednesday at the chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to Missouri Wild Horse League in Eminence, MO and can be left in care of the funeral home. Fond memories can be left online at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com

Carl Junior Cardwell, son of James and Frances (Thompson) Cardwell was born August 25, 1943 in Warsaw, Missouri. Carl graduated from Warsaw High School in l961 and was employed by Electricom, Inc.


In l962 she married his high school sweetheart, Shirley McNue and two children were born to this union in l963 and l964.


In l964 the family moved to Salem, Missouri for employment and in l970 he went to work for United Telephone Company.


Carl loved his way of life and the family had a lot of friends and enjoyed the Current River as well as horses and horse shows.


Carl also learned to shoe horses and was called the "Hillbilly Horseshoer." He was a great teacher of life skills and how to use his horsemanship to the best of his ability. He broke and trained horses and taught all his children to ride and show horses.


The family moved to Clinton in l976 where he became a supervisor for the phone company. He continued his love of horses and horse shows, making many new friends again. His granddaughters began to arrive, and of course he taught them to ride and barrel race.


In 2002, along came his first great grandchild, Cory and the two of them became very best friends and best buddies as they would do everything together. They have a special bond with each other that will never be broken. They taught each other so very much and Carl always looked forward to Cory coming out to the garage just to piddle, ride four wheelers or horses, or the last couple of months just to sit and watch TV.


He loved his Collin and Savannah also and was just getting to know Sydney, Maddison and Hayleigh.


Carl was past president of the Dent County Saddle Club, past president of the Golden Valley Saddle Club, was a member of the Henry County Fair Board, a founder of the Henry County Sherriff's Posse. He also worked with the Jug Town Colts 4-H Club and helped with the Calhoun Colt Show and never missed a parade or horse show.


Carl is survived by the love of his life, Shirley whom he was married to 51 years this April; his son, Jeff Cardwell and his daughter, Carla Pickett and husband, John; three granddaughters, Amber Parker and husband, Tristin, Cheyenne Cardwell and Aaron McNeeley and Ashley Jackson; six great grandchildren, Cory Knight, Collin Parker, Savannah McNeeley, Sydney Jackson, Maddison Jackson and Hayleigh Jackson as well as two sisters, Diane Forth of Calhoun, Missouri and Kathy Sperry of Altamont, Illinois

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton.