Elijah Canty, Jr.

Obituary For Elijah Canty, Jr.

Mr. Elijah Canty, Jr. passed away Wednesday, April 26, 2023.

A service honoring his life will be held on Monday, May 8, 2023 at Shiloh Baptist Church; 1210 S. Eugene Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27406. The visitation will begin at 11 am and the service will follow at 11:30 am.

The burial will follow the service at Salisbury National Cemetery; 501 Statesville Blvd. Salisbury, North Carolina 28144

Elijah was born on August 29, 1944, in Mullins, SC, to the late Elijah and Golda Canty. Elijah passed away at his home, surrounded by loved ones, on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at the age of 78. He was the third of nine children, which included three sisters and five brothers. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and friend, he lived a life full of accomplishments and love.

From a young age, Elijah had a curious mind and a love for fixing things. He often talked about collecting old bicycles and restoring them with parts he found. Elijah was also very athletic and excelled at basketball, which he played throughout his middle and high school years.

After his family moved to Philadelphia during his final years of high school, Elijah was permitted to stay in Mullins with the family of his best friends Willie James Owens (Grass) and William (Penn) Troy. His other best friend was Levone Graves (Bro).

The small town where he lived had low expectations of what he would become as a young black teenager, especially being away from his parents. Elijah was very mature and proved the town wrong by working hard at the local dry cleaners and supporting himself. He developed a keen sense of style and was always very meticulous about the way he dressed and presented himself.

After graduating from Palmetto High School in 1964, he received a full basketball scholarship to attend Claflin College, (now Claflin University) in Orangeburg, SC. However, after a year at Claflin, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in the Vietnam War for two years. He often shared stories about his time in Vietnam, where he experienced some of the scariest moments of his life. Most memorable being trapped on a hill for over a month in enemy territory. Many of his fellow soldiers and friends did not make it back home.

After his service in the Army, Elijah returned to Mullins, where he met Joyce Carolyn Johnson, the love of his life. They were married in 1969 and moved to Philadelphia, where they raised their two children, Roderick and Brian.

Elijah worked in the dry cleaning business before enrolling in the electrician program at the Opportunities Industrialization Center. Elijah was an ambitious person who was always eager to learn and expand his knowledge in the electrical field. He became a Master Electrician and worked for many years in Philadelphia's Naval Shipyard as an electrical journeyman before moving to Greensboro, NC, where he worked at R.J. Reynolds, as a Master Electrician until his retirement in 2004. He also owned his own company, Canty Electric, which provided electrical wiring services to homes and businesses throughout the triad area. He obtained numerous certifications and was certified as an Intermediate Electrician for the states of North and South Carolina, allowing him to service and maintain residential and commercial properties. He continued to attend workshops and classes, always learning and expanding his expertise in his chosen field. He mentored and encouraged so many young men to reach their full potential.

After retirement, Elijah was committed to caring for his elderly parents, who had relocated back to Mullins, SC. He was also a dedicated grandfather who always supported his grandkids' activities: band, soccer, football, track, basketball and academic achievements.

Elijah was a faithful member of Hayes Memorial United Holy Church for many years, where he served in various positions, including Board of Trustees and Treasurer, Usher, Choir Member, and volunteered his time utilizing his skills as Electrical Engineer (he was the church jack-of-all-trades).

Some of the things you may not have known about Elijah are: He loved fishing on his boat, baking fruit cakes and pound cakes, gardening, tending to his fig trees and grapevines each year which allowed him to experiment with wine making and he enjoyed reading. Elijah was also a generous man who always helped family and friends discreetly.

Elijah was preceded in death by his parents, Elijah and Golda Canty, and his brother Dennis Canty, Sr.

Elijah is survived by his beloved wife, Carolyn Canty, and their two sons, Roderick Canty (late wife Bernadette) of Clover, SC and Brian Canty (Avis) of Charlotte, NC. He also leaves behind his four grandsons, Bryson, Parker, Peyton, and Justin Canty. He is also survived by four brothers, Alexander Canty (Earline) of Fayetteville, NC; Josh Canty of Newark, DE; Lester Canty (Fannie) of Virginia Beach, VA; and Phillip Canty (Joanne) of Philadelphia, PA. and three sisters, Amanda Canty of Newark, DE; Ferri Bannister (Bernard) of Aston, PA;, Connie Canty of Milford, DE and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, relatives and friends.

Elijah's family and friends will always remember him as a kind, generous, and ambitious man who always had a positive outlook on life.

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