Bernard Harold Cantor

Bernard Harold Cantor, formerly of Johnson City, Tennessee, died July 28, 2008 at Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community in Raleigh, NC. He was 88. Mr. Cantor was born in Syracuse, New York in 1920 and grew up in Johnson City, graduating from Science Hill High School in 1937. He received a B.A. in philosophy, psychology and history from the University of Tennessee in 1941 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Harvard Law School in 1943. From October 1943 to February 1945 he served as law clerk to the Honorable Harold M. Stephens, Associate Justice, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Mr. Cantor, then, worked for the Office of Scientific Research and Development as an attorney in its Legal Division. In February 1946, he returned to Johnson City and began a private law practice, which he maintained until 2005. Mr. Cantor was a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Tau Kappa Alpha Honorary Forensic Society, Washington County Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, and American Bar Association. He served East Tennessee State University as a guest lecturer and instructor in labor relations and political science. Mr. Cantor was a certified arbitrator and member of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and the American Arbitration Association. He served the City of Johnson City as a member of the Mayors Advisory Committee on Human Relations and the State of Tennessee as a member of the Law Revision Commission in 1965. He also served several years as attorney for the Johnson City Board of Education. Mr. Cantor was active in the Washington County Democratic Party and represented the state as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1972; he ran for Congress against U.S. Rep. Jimmy Quillen that same year. He was active in the community through a number of organizations, including the Optimists and Jaycees and the Johnson City Community Theatre. Mr. Cantor was a former member of Bnai Sholom Congregation in Blountville, Tennessee, where he served as president from 1958 to 1959. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Evelyn Mach Cantor of the home; three daughters, Judith Cantor and partner Kathe Rauch of Raleigh, NC, Susanna Cantor and husband David Caldwell of Raleigh, NC, and Abigail Cantor and husband Dr. Alan Kalker of Madison, WI. The family will receive friends 10 a.m. Wednesday at Morris-Baker Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Morris-Baker South Chapel. Dr. Charles Fish will officiate. Following the funeral service, family and friends will proceed to Bnai Sholom cemetery in Bristol, TN for committal services. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice of Wake County, 1300 St. Marys Street 4th Floor, Raleigh, NC 27605 or to Bnai Sholom Congregation, 2510 Highway 126, Bristol, Tennessee 37620.