Clarence Goldwin Cannon

Clarence Goldwin “C.G.” Cannon, 85, of Tampa, Florida, passed away on December 8, 2021. Cannon was born in Parrish, Alabama, on October 18, 1936. He was the third child born to Cecil C. and Era Cannon. He lived a full and happy life, was a Christian, and a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He enjoyed traveling across the United States, attending Auburn games and going to family reunions with his wife of 60 years, Linda Pinkston Cannon.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 28 at 5:30 pm with a Celebration of Life to follow at 6:00pm at First Baptist Church in Tampa with Reverend Bob Block officiating.

Cannon graduated Salutatorian from Parrish High School in 1953, before moving to Birmingham to attend Alverson-Draughon Business College. After graduation in 1954, he started work with The Hardaway Company (now Standard Concrete Products) where he remained employed for 54 years until his retirement in 2008. He moved to various project sites in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Virginia and became the Regional Office Manager at the Tampa Plant in 1968.

In 1960, he was drafted into the Army and completed training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. He then worked for the Counter Intelligence Corps in Baltimore, Maryland. After two years of active duty and four years in the Army Reserves, he was honorably discharged from the service as a Sergeant E-5.

While working in Columbus, Georgia, in 1957, he met Linda Pinkston, daughter of the owner of a restaurant he frequented, Pinkston Cafe. They began dating in March of that year. Before leaving to report to Fort Jackson, Cannon proposed to Linda and they were married in August of 1961. After being discharged from the Army and returning to his job at Hardaway, the couple moved to Gray, Georgia, in 1963. While in Gray, his three children were born, Terri, Lisa, and Ronald. In 1968, the family moved to Tampa where Cannon called home until his passing. He served as a deacon at Palma Ceia Baptist Church and drove a church bus for Bayshore Baptist Church choir tours that his children participated in for several summers. After retirement, he enjoyed relaxing in his yard under his grapefruit trees, sitting on his screened-in porch listening to the radio, and traveling often.

Cannon loved watching sports and especially the Auburn Tigers. There were few Saturdays, no matter rain, cold, or blistering heat from 1988 until his passing, that you did not find him in section 42 of Jordan-Hare Stadium. He always sat in the same seat and was the “unofficial” greeter for that section. Without always knowing each other’s names, he made countless friends that he would stop and speak to every Saturday.

Cannon, also referred to as “PawPaw,” loved being a grandfather and great-grandfather more than anything else in his life. He enjoyed attending his grandchildren's games, matches, graduations, and weddings, both locally and in other states, and having them stay with him for a week in the summer when they were young.

He is survived by his wife, Linda, by his three children: Terri Cannon Shepherd (Joe), Lisa Cannon Myers, Ronald Alan Cannon; his seven grandchildren: Lauren Shepherd Price (Blake), Andrew Myers, Ashley Myers, Joshua Shepherd, Sr. (Elise), Rebecca Shepherd Craver (Michael), Austin Myers, Jacob Shepherd (Annie Elton); two great-grandchildren: Cannon and Lillian Shepherd; his sister Era Jean Cannon Hart (Gerald), and brothers-in-law Glenn A. Franklin and Theo Pinkston, Jr.; nephews and nieces, Steven L. Franklin (Christy), J. Randall Minor (Atiyyah), Eric A. Pinkston (Tina), Sandy F. Gardner (Lance), Tonya F. Short, Shannon E. Lemoine (Brett); and numerous great-nephews, great-nieces, and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his parents Cecil C. and Era Cannon, three infant siblings, and sisters Betty Cannon Garris and Ramelle Cannon Franklin.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 28 at 5:30 pm with a Celebration of Life to follow at 6:00pm at First Baptist Church in Tampa with Reverend Bob Block officiating.