S. Delell Cannon

Sarah Delell Cannon passed from this life July 3rd of injuries resulting from a fall at her home in Yakima. We were grateful to spend a last few hours with her before she left. She was an ever-bright light with a brilliant smile-- a beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend we will miss dearly and until the end of our lives.

Delell was born in Shilo, Mississippi on March 30, 1935 to Sarah Olivia Floyd and Oscar Leroy Slayton. She was raised in the Port Gibson area of Mississippi and in Detroit Michigan. Though life was hard early on, she learned skills and developed traits that would see her persevere and allow her to aid and counsel others in trouble.

At nineteen she met James Franklin Cannon and they were married September 3rd, 1955. They soon left Mississippi for Southeastern Idaho where they lived for a couple of years before moving to California. In 1963 they moved to Washington, ultimately moving to Issaquah where their four boys would be largely raised. They also lived in Bellevue for a while, and in 2000 moved to Yakima where they split their time between Washington and Arizona.

In December 16th, 1960 Jim and Delell were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and she was sealed together with her husband and children in the Idaho Falls Temple in August 1967. The influence of the Church and the teachings of Christ gradually rooted in Delell until they became her core, motivating her to a life of service, and an appreciation for all beautiful things. She and Jim served service and proselyting missions for the church, and worked together for many years in the Seattle Temple.

Delell loved music, art, and travel. She was a passionate, lifelong learner who studied and developed numerous useful skills and talents which she shared freely with all. She became the extended family authority on gardening, healing and culinary herbs, cooking, baking, nursing, nutrition, food preservation, sewing, quilting, animal husbandry, genealogy, computer science, cake decorating, science, flower arranging, world affairs, and more. Her mastery of these subjects often rose to the level of high art, and she pursued her knowledge while suffering from lifelong health challenges and physical pain.

Delell worked at many jobs, from telephone operator and egg inspector to school bus driver; she spent the last 18 years of work with Boeing where she began as stationery store clerk and ultimately retired as IT Systems Administrator.

Delell was preceded in death by her parents, Sarah Olivia Floyd and Oscar Leroy Slayton, as well as her sister Martha Slayton Mendoza and brother Oscar Leroy “Bud” Slayton.

She is survived by her husband James, of Yakima, sons Thomas Cannon, of Sandy, Utah, John Cannon of Cle Elum, Robert Cannon of Kirkland , and James Cannon Jr of Selah, sister Mary Lee of North Bend, and 13 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. In addition nieces, nephews, and daughters-in-law all mourn her passing.

How we wish she didn’t have to go. All our lives were sweeter knowing that this beautiful lady loved us, applauded our successes, and shared in our sorrows. We trust she knows how very much we love her, too.

Funeral services will be at 3 P.M. today, Wednesday July 7, 2010, at the Terrace Heights Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Concluding services will be at the Terrace Heights Memorial Park. Keith and Keith Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.