Gerald A. Cannon

Gerald A. Cannon was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

His parents were Dennis and Margaret Cannon (both Irish immigrants). Gerald was raised in Greeley, Nebraska (the town of Irish immigrants). He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

Growing up in the Cannon household was a very busy one as Gerald had he was raised with six siblings. He had two sisters and four brothers: Marie, Helen, Tom, Jim, Johnnie and Bob. Gerald was constantly involved in activities with his brothers and sisters. Gerald and his siblings may have had the typical rivalries while growing up but Gerald was always consistently loyal to his family.

As a young child, Gerald was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn’t pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Gerald developed a variety of interests, though, and the things he enjoyed doing he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Gerald took part in baseball and he was a farmer. Gerald's memorable achievements included being a soloist singer in High School. Gerald also enjoyed playing and spending time with his many friends. During his high school years he enjoyed dancing The Waltz.

While his teachers and even his friends generally thought of Gerald as being a serious person, he managed to have a pretty good time in high school as he made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Greeley, Nebraska in 1933. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was history. He enjoyed learning from the Dominican Sisters, whom he had great respect for, as they were wonderful teachers. Gerald was a small town boy farmer. He was a singer and played baseball. Gerald was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his exceptional memory, he was able to learn much through observation. Gerald always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.

Always considered to be a solid friend, Gerald was fortunate to have numerous acquaintances and several very close friends during his life. Since he disliked making generalizations about people and preferred to draw his own conclusions based on direct observation, Gerald was able to see beneath the surface of relationships and became a true friend to those who knew him. He was committed to his friends and valued the trust he placed in them. It was not uncommon for Gerald to go beyond the call of duty for others, and family and friends frequently sought him out for advice because he had a knack for coming up with practical solutions to any type of dilemma. Later in life, he became friends with people of his parish, Corpus Christi Catholic Church, and his next door neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Jess Ramos.

On September 5, 1942 Gerald exchanged wedding vows with Anastasia Catherine Cook at The Camp Carson of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Compassionate and devoted to Anastasia, Gerald held endearing, traditional values about marriage and family life. He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment. He was a source of strength to Anastasia and using his gifts at nurturing one-on-one relationships, he worked hard to make his new family happy.

Gerald brought the same traditional values in his marriage to bear on how he raised his children. He was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would always listen carefully and think things through before he acted, even when it was an adverse situation. Gerald was blessed with four children, two sons, Jerry and Tim, and two daughters, Mary Ann and Rose Marie. They were also blessed with six grandchildren, Jeremy, Zac (deceased), Jared, Sarah, Kristina, Anastasia, two step-grandchildren, Chris and Tad and three great grandchildren.

Gerald greatly enjoyed what he did for a living. He was a hard worker who expected the same in return from his co-workers. He was skilled at working effectively in small groups and in one-on-one situations as well as handling solo assignments efficiently. Gerald enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, Gerald was excellent at meeting deadlines. He was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. His first occupation was as a farmer and he did that for 50 years of his life He then worked as a Pattern Maker (woodworking) until he retired at age 67. He enjoyed working with his hands while farming and raising crops and livestock such as cattle, pigs and chickens and as a woodworker. Gerald worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Gerald was an Army Veteran. He served in World War II, and was stationed at Camp Carson and other military installations in the US. He was overseas and marched across France at the end of World War II. Gerald served for five years. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of 1st Sergeant. A literal thinker who possessed a calm exterior, Gerald seemed to enjoy the routines set forth by the military. His results-oriented approach to things made him committed to the job, and he understood well his role in serving his country.

Gerald liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into his hobbies, where he was very methodical in how he organized his activities and categorized things. Since he enjoyed his hobbies, Gerald always tried to allocate a specific time for working on them. His favorite pursuits were woodworking, helping at church, Eucharistic minister and he enjoyed taking care of his grandchildren. Gerald was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Gerald found pleasure in sports. Being a person who was comfortable making win/lose decisions throughout life, he could appreciate that athletes made those types of decisions in sports. In high school, Gerald played baseball. Recreational sports included walking, camping and enjoying the mountains.

Many organizations were grateful to have Gerald as a member, since he always brought with him a “stick to it” attitude and a high degree of common sense. Using straightforward methods to successfully complete the job, Gerald was a great planner who was incredibly well organized. It seemed that he was able to schedule any event or activity with ease. He always seemed to know exactly what needed to be done. Throughout his later years, Gerald was an active member of the Corpus Christi Church and the Wednesday Warriors.

As a man who always showed great commitment to the things he believed in, it’s little wonder that Gerald was so active in his community. Being practical and mentally disciplined, Gerald preferred to base his decisions on first-hand experiences. Gerald was never afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig right in. Politically, Gerald was first a democrat, and then became a Reagan Republican for the rest of his life.

Gerald was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Greeley, NE for 50 years, and then at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Colorado Springs until the age of 95. During that time, he was a Eucharistic minister, usher, handyman and soup kitchen volunteer. He was a sympathetic man who valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them.

Gerald sought out practical solutions, not individual recognition. He was always grounded and objective, feeling a strong sense of responsibility for taking care of what needed to be done. This selfless attitude earned Gerald many accolades for his efforts and achievements. Some of his most prestigious awards included 1st Sergeant in the US Army.

Gerald enjoyed traveling and taking vacations. Since he was an early starter and had a knack for planning everything, traveling with Gerald appeared effortless. He enjoyed researching all of his examined options and applying cost-effective planning techniques. Favorite vacations included camping in the mountains. He enjoyed Historical Museums and Sites. He loved trains and riding the Toltec Railroad.

When Gerald’s retirement finally arrived in 1982, he was well prepared. He always trusted and placed value in what was logical and in the things he knew, so he was very confident in planning his retirement. In retirement, he found new pleasure in wood working and staying active in church. Even in retirement, Gerald continued to stay in touch with his old friends and family while making plenty of new acquaintances.

Gerald A. Cannon passed away on December 14, 2010 at Pikes Peak Care Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado from a long battle with Dementia at the age of 95. He is survived by his wife Anastasia, four children, Mary Ann, Jerry, Tim and Rose Marie, six grandchildren, Jeremy, Kristina, Sarah and Jared, Anastasia and Zac (deceased) two step grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Services were held at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Gerald was laid to rest in Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Gerald A. Cannon. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.

Gerald A. Cannon

Oct. 6, 1915 – Dec. 14, 2010

Dad passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 14, 2010.

Dad was born in Omaha, Nebraska October 6, 1915, to parents Dennis and Margaret Cannon. He was raised in Greeley, Nebraska. Dad joined the Army in 1941, then married his soul mate Anastasia Cook on September 5, 1942 at Camp Carson. After the army, he went back and farmed in Greeley, Nebraska.

Our family moved to Colorado Springs in 1967. Dad retired from Joy Manufacturing as a pattern marker.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and two sisters and one grandson. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Anastasia (Cook) Cannon, by two daughters, Marry Ann Tamlin and Rose Marie Hendren, two sons, Tim Cannon and Jerry Cannon, as well as 6 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

The most important things in his life were his family and his deep religious faith. He was a member of Corpus Christi Church for over 40 years. Dad enjoyed both watching and playing baseball. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. He was proudly a part of the greatest generation.

A visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00pm, Monday, December 20, 2010 at the Memorial Gardens Chapel, 3825 Airport Road.

A service will be held at 10:00 am, Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at the `Corpus Christi Church, 2318 N. Cascade, Colorado Springs, CO. A burial will follow at 1:30 pm on Tuesday at the Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers prayer donations may be made to Corpus Christi Church in the name of our Dad.

Please visit www.memorialgardensfuneralhome.com to send condolences to the family.