Harold Lloyd Cartwright

Harold Lloyd Cartwright, born December 6, 1929, in a little farmhouse near Campbell, Missouri, lived his entire life in service to God, whether on a mountaintop hunting or preaching behind a pulpit, after accepting Jesus as his Savior.

Born to David and Hettie Cartwright, Harold was the seventh of nine siblings: Robert, Arbrey, Altha, Jewel, Chalmer, Clarence, Thelma, and Dawsey. The son of a sharecropper, Harold was accustomed early in life to hard work. At the young age of six, Harold’s family moved to California, traveling in a Model T that was pulling a trailer filled with their worldly possessions and the children. After graduating high school in Selma, California, Harold attended and graduated from Pasedena Nazarene College with a ministerial degree in 1953. During his pursuit of his degree, he had the privilege of playing basketball. While attending college, he met the love of his life and light of his eye, Martha Naomi Wheeler, marrying December 10, 1950.

Harold began his pastoral ministry in home mission churches on the Arizona and New Mexico district. While in New Mexico, he was the caretaker of what is now the campground of Bonita Park. As a builder of home mission churches, Harold worked bi-vocationally in order to provide for his family and was instrumental in contributing to the physical building of several Nazarene churches on the same district. He was not only a pastor the people in his church but also pastored people in the community through his bi-vocational work and his passions of hunting and hunting safety.

Along the way, Harold and Naomi were blessed with four children: Teresa Ann Cartwright, Harold Lloyd (Lynda) Cartwright, Deborah Ruth, and Kristina Suzanne (Duane) Early. Later, they were blessed with 11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. In the same way that he was a servant to God’s kingdom, he was a servant to his family. Harold and Naomi also added countless honorary members to their family as they served.

After retiring from full-time ministry in 1992, Harold and Naomi continued to serve the Lord by assisting his brother, Chalmer, in building and caring for the Lake Elsinore Church of the Nazarene. In 2014, Harold and Naomi moved once more to Nampa, Idaho, to be closer to family. While in Nampa, Harold continued to serve God as a valued member of a retired ministers’ Bible study.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Teresa Ann, who the family is sure let out a whoop when he arrived in heaven, excited to show him all the beautiful gemstones beyond the pearly gates. He is survived by his dedicated wife and a host of loving family members.

A memorial service will be held in the chapel at Nampa First Church of the Nazarene on Saturday, June 6, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Nampa First Church of the Nazarene’s Care House Partnerships.