Cover photo for Rev. Dr. Owen Calvin Cardwell, Jr.'s Obituary
Rev. Dr. Owen Calvin Cardwell, Jr. Profile Photo
1947 Rev. Dr. Owen C. Cardwell, Jr. 2025

Rev. Dr. Owen Calvin Cardwell, Jr.

February 25, 1947 — May 12, 2025

Richmond, Virginia

Beloved and Extraordinary Man of God, Pastor, Civil Rights Activist and Distinguished Professor

Dr. Owen Calvin Cardwell, Jr.

Reverend Dr. Owen Calvin Cardwell, Jr., age 78, of Lynchburg, Virginia, peacefully transitioned to his heavenly home on May 12, 2025.

On January 29, 1962, Lynda Woodruff and Owen Cardwell climbed the steps to the entrance of E. C. Glass High School to begin the desegregation of public schools in Lynchburg, VA. He was 14 years old when he first met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a life changing event he spoke about at Snidow Chapel in 2019. In March of that same year, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. came to Lynchburg at the behest of Dr. Virgil Wood, then pastor of Diamond Hill Baptist Church and leader of the civil rights movement in Lynchburg. Owen, a 14-year old, recalls sitting on the floor in the home of a local dentist, singing freedom songs with Dr. King and other local civil rights advocates.

The following year, Dr. Cardwell’s father took him to the historical March on Washington where he heard firsthand the “I Have a Dream” speech. That year Dr. Cardwell was selected to be the local SNCC leader and participated in sit-in demonstrations that led to the desegregation of S&W Cafeteria, S.S. Kresge, and two local theaters. Later, Dr. Cardwell was arrested in Danville for sit-in demonstrations to desegregate public facilities.

Dr. Owen C. Cardwell, Jr., has been in the ministry for 55 years. He received a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, OH, with a concentration in Ethical and Creative Leadership and a specialization in Martin Luther King studies. He is the 2015 recipient of the Dr. Toni A. Gregory Dissertation Award and the 2016 recipient of the Dr. Virgil A. Wood award for the Martin Luther King, Jr. dissertation. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Seminary and College, Lynchburg, VA, a Masters of Theology from Boston University, Boston, MA, a Masters of Education from Cambridge College, Cambridge, MA and in June, 1997 he received the honorary Doctorate in Sacred Literature from the Spirit of Truth Institute, Richmond Virginia Seminary. He has also completed course requirements for the Ph.D. in Counseling from Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA.

Dr. Cardwell has pastored in Lynchburg, VA, Detroit, MI and Boston, MA. He has served as Regional Housing Director for the Massachusetts Housing Authority and was first Director of Housing for the City of Lawrence, MA and the first Executive Director/CEO for the Virginia Housing Foundation, Richmond, VA.

Dr. Cardwell authored two books, “Giant Killer” and “Developing Diamonds”. He was responsible for naming the Hope Diamond Center and starting a Day Care Center in the Hope Diamond Center.

Pastor and Elder Cardwell are the founding pastors and retired pastors of the New Canaan International Church, Richmond, VA. Dr. Cardwell was CEO of Heroes and Dreams Academy (HDA), a faith-based 501(c)3, non-profit. Under his leadership, the church was chosen as one of five churches in the nation to sponsor a pilot project, “One Church-Ten Families,” under the auspices of the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, DC. The Project is aimed at renewing, strengthening and supporting families of juvenile offenders. In April of 2006, HDA became a pilot site, working with the Virginia Department of Corrections, with a video-conferencing visitation program. Family members of inmates are able to visit their loved ones through video conferencing at the church without having to go to the prison facility. Over 182 inmates and 732 family members have been served since April 15, 2006. The organization worked with Danville Public Schools with middle-schoolers in alternative education. HDA also contracted with Henrico County Jail with a motherhood/fatherhood program for inmates on work release. Over 650 inmates and almost 2000 family members have been served since April 15, 2006. In January 2010, this program was expanded to 10 prisons with visitor centers at Shiloh Baptist Church in Alexandria and Norfolk United Methodist Church.

In 1994, Dr. Cardwell was selected to be a delegate for Opportunities Industrialization Centers, International at the African Leadership Summit in Dakar, Senegal. Until his recent illness, Dr. Cardwell served as director of the Faith-Based Leadership Institute for Community Engagement at Lynchburg College.

On February 1, 2021, Dr. Cardwell became pastor of Diamond Hill Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA., and the Rosel Distinguished Professor of Education and Human Development of the Center for Innovative Leadership and Professional Development at the University of Lynchburg. When he joined the University of Lynchburg’s education faculty in 2018, Cardwell did so as a longtime pastor, renowned civil rights activist, and well-respected Martin Luther King Jr. scholar. As Pastor of Diamond Hill, he created a vision statement and new logo for the Church, ordained four new deacons, and created leadership training for church leadership. In addition, he revised the media ministry to include live streaming and Youtube and hired Telly Tucker as the Minister of Music for the church. Pastor Cardwell along with Diamond Hill collaborated with Cross Point Church to create a luncheon program for the community which members of the two churches work collaboratively in a Sandwich Ministry which makes and distributes sandwiches to people in the community. He created a community outreach program at College Hill apartments and was instrumental in development of the Good Gangs Initiative with Lynchburg City Schools and the University of Lynchburg. In 2022, he launched Good Gangs, a grant-funded program aimed at area high school-aged children who have been referred to the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice for crimes committed or issues like truancy.

Under his leadership, Diamond Hill along with Cross Point Church sponsored a tent revival in the neighborhood.

“I seriously doubt there is a civil rights leader anywhere in the country that Owen didn’t know, that he couldn’t pick up the phone and call,” said Dr. Roger Jones, a University colleague and friend. “He was a remarkable man.”

In a recent interview, Cardwell told the audience that meeting King “started a spark in me, that I had to do more than simply walk through the doors of an all-white high school. And, as I look back on that, this really … set the course for my life.”

Throughout his career, Dr. Cardwell worked to improve the lives of children, particularly children from disadvantaged backgrounds. On LinkedIn, he wrote, “I believe that children are not problems to be solved, but rather assets to our community and that every adult can be and should be asset builders. He stated,“So many adults did not get that support as children and are now socially and emotionally underdeveloped. I am committed to walking along with people to assist them in becoming all they can be.”Dr. Cardwell continued that work in Lynchburg.

He headed the city of Lynchburg’s branch of the Search Institute, a national initiative that focuses on instilling values in children. He also championed the CliftonStrengths program at the University of Lynchburg.“This fall, all incoming freshmen are taking the CliftonStrengths assessment and [receiving] coaching from a certified coach,” Jones said. “He was instrumental with that and served on the task force to lay the groundwork for that. …

“He was kind of the guru of strength-based coaching on campus.”

In July of 2023, Dr. Cardwell was appointed by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin to the Virginia African American Advisory Board. He had applied for the position and gave honest responses during a phone interview, including that he didn’t agree with all of the governor’s policy decisions.

While a bit surprised to be selected, Dr. Cardwell was determined not to let party lines get in the way of progress.

“My position is that someone is going to be governor for four years, and it’s either going to be one party or another,” he said at the time. “It’s not about party politics. It’s about representing the hopes and concerns of my constituents.”

According to Jones, this was classic Cardwell.

“He will be remembered as a unifier, as someone who really wanted to unify communities,” Jones said. “That was one of the things that he wanted to do in Lynchburg, to try to unify Lynchburg around the common vision.

“He will be known as someone who valued all people. Whether he agreed with you or disagreed with you, you knew he would respect you and value you as a person and … work with you to try to create the kind of community and the kind of city that everyone could be proud of.” That did not, however, mean that Dr. Cardwell would compromise his values.

“He was driven by a strong set of values, his own faith and his beliefs,” Jones said. “Those were never compromised, but he was able to reach out and work with people and to find the common ground.”

University President Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar first met Dr. Cardwell shortly after she arrived on campus in 2019. “[He] was a mentor, guide, best friend and leader whose life work was to change the lives of others for the better,” she said

“His conversations with me began in the first month of my tenure here at the University … and always began with him saying ‘I have an idea.’ The same conversations always ended with me agreeing and supporting his idea. I miss him.”

In an email to the campus community, Morrison-Shetlar wrote, “Owen’s work was all about creating a community where everyone could thrive. He had this remarkable ability to connect with people from all walks of life — to value them, even when there were disagreements.

“He stood firm in his own beliefs, rooted deeply in his faith, yet he always sought common ground, always with a focus on nurturing the growth and development of our youth.

“We have lost an awesome leader, a determined advocate for our young people, and a warm and cherished friend.”

The Rev. Dr. Nathan Albert, Lynchburg’s chaplain and assistant vice president for belonging, also met Cardwell shortly after he arrived at Lynchburg in 2019.

“I met [him] the summer I was first hired here at the University,” Albert said. “Although my role was to be a chaplain, very quickly into our conversation, Dr. Cardwell was a chaplain to me.

“Within that brief conversation, he affirmed my calling and gifts and encouraged me to do good work and pursue justice in my work on this campus. I’m grateful, not only for his leadership but his spiritual leadership and guidance.”

Lynchburg’s chief inclusive excellence officer, Dr. Robert Canida II, described Dr. Cardwell as a “Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. brother, my on-campus mentor, and my friend,” and said Cardwell’s “passion for always wanting better for the Lynchburg community, particularly for the unseen community members, will never be forgotten.

Pastor Owen Calvin Cardwell, Jr. enlisted in the United States Army November 18, 1969. February 1, 1974 he received an honorable discharge.

Rev Dr. Owen Calvin Cardwell, Jr., was married Elder Flora S. Cardwell for 38 years. He was preceded in death by his parents Owen Calvin Cardwell, Sr. and Pearl Elizabeth Campbell Cardwell.

Dr. Cardwell memory lives on with his son Montez Cardwell, (daughter-in- law daughter, Sophia Haynes Cardwell), daughters Felecia Cardwell, son Shonn Bailey (deceased) and daughter, Shonda Matthews. Eleven grandchildren, Immanuel K. Bailey-Matthews, Isaiah G. Matthews, Joshua A. Cardwell, Adoni J. Cardwell, and Amari Cardwell, Richmond, VA; Mason Cardwell, Samara Cardwell, Tatianna Hayes, and Sherice Bailey of Boston, MA. His great grandchildren, Hendrixs G. Matthews, Aalyah Counts-Cardwell, Zayden Cardwell, Kailani Cardwell, Kahyrie Cardwell, and Amirah Pressey. His Sister Verlease Nicholas, NC and brother Michael Cardwell, Fl. Hosts of nieces and nephews. He also leaves many other family members and friends who will miss him.

A public visitation will be held on Friday, May 23, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Diamond Hill Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., also at Diamond Hill Baptist Church, as we come together in faith and gratitude to honor his remarkable legacy of ministry, scholarship, and service.

PSA: 

To accommodate what is expected to be a large gathering at Diamond Hill Baptist Church, 1415 Grace Street, for both the visitation and funeral of the late Reverend Dr. Owen C. Cardwell, Jr., a portion of Grace Street (from 14th Street to Pearl Street) will be closed as follows:

Friday, May 23: Closed from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. for the visitation.

Saturday, May 24: Closed from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for the funeral.

No thru traffic, including emergency vehicles, will be allowed during these times.

In addition, parking at Diamond Hill Baptist Church will be reserved for family, handicap parking and City/State officials.

Overflow parking will be at Dunbar Middle School for Innovation, 1200 Polk Street, with shuttle services available both evenings. Shuttles will run between Dunbar Middle School for Innovation and Hunton Randolph Community Center to Diamond Hill Baptist Church on the following days and times:

  • Friday, May 23 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM

  • Saturday, May 24 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

  • Guests are encouraged to utilize the shuttles for convenience and ease of access.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is respectfully serving the Cardwell family.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rev. Dr. Owen Calvin Cardwell, Jr., please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Friday, May 23, 2025

5:00 - 7:00 pm (Eastern time)

Diamond Hill Baptist Church

1415 Grace Street, Lynchburg, VA 24504

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Celebration of Life

Saturday, May 24, 2025

12:00 - 2:00 pm (Eastern time)

Diamond Hill Baptist Church

1415 Grace Street, Lynchburg, VA 24504

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

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