Charlotte Canary Cannon

Charlotte Canary Cannon, 81, went to be with her Lord and Savior on December 13, 2022 in Lexington, South Carolina as her daughters, Fawn and Amy, were by her side.

Charlotte was born on August 10, 1941 in Charlotte, NC to John Joseph Canary and Ruth Belle Williamson Canary. She grew up in Bristol, Virginia along with her sister, Clara, attending St. Anne’s Catholic School. She was a graduate of Virginia High School and quickly made lifetime friendships while in both schools. Charlotte was an avid participant in Girl Scouts throughout her life and truly lived by their motto building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. From a very young age, Charlotte was always engaged in her community participating in activities with friends and carried fond memories with them from her youth. The devotion she had to serving her community lasted throughout her life. 

Charlotte attended East Tennessee State University majoring in Home Economics and ETSU is where she met the love of her life, “Jim” James Walsh Cannon, Jr. who survives her. They raised two daughters, Fawn Cannon Papastavrou (Kirk) and Amy Cannon Stokes (Jay) in Kingsport, Tennessee. The people on this earth that held her greatest love were her grandchildren, Thomas (Lexie) and Matthew Papastavrou, Charlotte and Lillie Stokes. Watching the love she poured into these four has been one of the biggest blessings we have had the privilege to witness. The legacy of love will live on from our mother and will be poured into generations to come because she loved them so dearly. Proverbs 17:6 “Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents.” Charlotte lived a life that made her family proud and has provided an inheritance of love, character, and faith.

Proverbs 31:31 “Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Charlotte may have been a woman of small stature but she carried inside her a mighty love that engulfed all that crossed paths with her. She spent her life serving those around her with a smile on her face and a giggle in her heart. Charlotte had an infectious personality that drew others to her and always left sunshine in her path. Family and friends were blessed to enter her humble home where she always made room for everyone. Children always knew the love of our mother, and many were blessed by the sanctuary found in her kitchen. Charlotte’s love engulfed many friends, students, parents, and faculty members during her many years serving Sullivan County Schools as a homeroom mother, substitute teacher, after-school program director, and teaching assistant, with her most beloved years alongside kindergarten students.

Thank you to Father Joseph Romanoski of Corpus Christi Catholic Church and Father Michael Cummins of St. Dominic Catholic Church for the guidance they have given to our family. St. Augustine said: “Always remember that the God who promises to us his mercy does not promise to give us another tomorrow.” Charlotte Cannon lived her life well each and every day.

Thank you will never be enough for the caregivers from National Health Care Lexington and Abby Road Hospice who had the privilege of loving our sweet mother along with us. The men and women that choose to care for our elderly are angels on earth. They each are the hands and feet of our Lord serving graciously to help those that can no longer serve themselves. They have been compassionate, encouraging, patient, and sincere. Even in the last two years, our sweet momma shined with love to those around her. Her eyes twinkled with mischief and her endearing words “Hi, Honey” still scattered love to every heart she encountered. While at NHC Lexington, we were blessed to have sweet roommates and families with us and our momma continued touching the hearts of her community even on this part of her journey.

A day didn’t pass without our mom talking about wanting to go back home to be among her dear friends. We will take our mother back to her beloved East Tennessee for her final resting place. The family will celebrate her life at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home in Kingsport with a memorial service at 5:30 pm on December 27, 2022 and visitation to follow. The memorial service will have a livestream link. This would have been Jim and Charlotte’s 58th wedding anniversary. A graveside service will be at Mountain Home National Cemetery at 2:00 pm on December 28. The cemetery is on the grounds of Mountain Home Veterans Administration Center in Johnson City, Tennessee. Honorary pallbearers will be her sons-in-law, grandsons, and nephews, Chris and Ben Moretz. 

In lieu of flowers, we would like to support the Colonial Heights community, which our mother helped make magical for so many years. Donations can be made to the new Sullivan Heights Middle School in honor of Charlotte’s selfless years of service. Please note our mother’s name, Charlotte Cannon, in the memo line. Sullivan Heights Middle School address is 1236 Moreland Drive, Kingsport, TN 37664. The donations made in her memory will support students in need throughout the school community allowing her to continue to spread love to children.