Raymond Cantrell was born in West Liberty, Kentucky and grew up in Springfield, Ohio. He graduated from Springfield High School in 1958, and Morehead State University in 1971 with a degree in English Education. He taught English and drama at Forest Hills High School in Cincinnati until 1979 when he returned to Springfield.

Ray married Deborah J. Putchat in 1981 and they were blessed with two sons, David and Kevin, and one daughter, April.

He made a career change in 1982 by opening Rick's Fashions Americain, a vintage clothing shop on Selma Road. It opened as a retail store, then closed to the public to focus on renting apparel for stage and screen.

The store supplied costuming for Broadway plays, television shows, and Hollywood movies and received nominations for Oscar and Tony Awards. Rick's Fashions Americain supplied costumes for hundreds of

productions including: "Seabiscuit," "Bagger Vance," "Forrest Gump," "Cinderella Man," and "Goodfellas." Ray received an Emmy for outstanding costume designer in 1995 for the production of AMCs "Remember WENN."

Ray's leisure time was spent with his family, playing golf, listening to doo-wop music and coaching amateur boxing.

On December 6, 2004 Ray died in his home surrounded by his loving family.

Raymond Cantrell is interred at Ferncliff Cemetery in Section 55.