Roll of Honor
Lewis Franklin Cantey
Incident
Police Officer Frank Cantey died as the result of complications from contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Officer Cantey had served as a part-time police officer with the Grand River Dam Authority Police Department for three years and had served in Oklahoma law enforcement for a total of 42 years. He had previously served with the Kansas Police Department, Delaware County Sheriff's Office, Pryor Police Department, and as the elected sheriff of Mayes County.
He is survived by his wife, two sons, stepdaughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Police Officer Lewis Franklin Cantey died on June 18, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 69.
He is one of 884 officers honored here.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two sons, stepdaughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-6DE2DBB3- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Police Officer Cantey gave the Grand River Dam Authority Police Department 42 years.
Thank you for your service to the Langley community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Cantey.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Lewis Franklin Cantey is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In OK, 21 of 582 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 3.6% of this state's fallen. That is 5.5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Lewis Franklin Cantey's cause is highlighted.
How Lewis Franklin Cantey Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Lewis Franklin Cantey is highlighted in Jun.