Thomas W. Cannon Sr. of Boca Raton, FL, formerly of Crete, IL, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 19th, 2013, at Hospice by the Sea. He is survived by his loving wife, Diana, of 55 years, his sister Marion Clark, his three sons Thomas Jr., John, and William, his three daughters Kathleen, Eileen, and Brigid, and his eleven grandchildren Joseph, Danny, Jennifer, John, Tara Lynne, Jack, Sean, Megan, Mark, Kevin, and Kelly. He is preceded in death by his parents Thomas and Dorothy Cannon. Tom was raised in Roseland, IL, graduating from Mt Carmel High School in Chicago, IL and attended the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. He served in the Korean War and was awarded the Purple Heart. After his military service, Tom returned to Chicago where he met and married Diana. He assumed responsibility as president of the family business, Cannon Steel Erection Co. Tom and Diana and their six children lived in their family home in Crete, IL. Eventually he constructed a home in the Florida Keys, where he took the family for summers and holidays. Eventually Tom and Diana retired to the Keys home. Several years later they discovered a cooler weather retreat in Franklin, NC, where they developed residential properties and built a summer home. Tom and Diana also spent two years living in Colorado near their daughters Eileen and Brigid. But Florida was always in Tom’s blood, and thus he spent his final years with Diana in Boca Raton. Besides his devotion to his family and fishing, Tom loved a well-cooked meal and the company of others to share that meal. He was an entertaining storyteller, revisiting the times of his youth and work in Chicago. He also loved football, and was a devoted fan of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Chicago Bears. Tom was happiest when surrounded by his family, with good food on the table and one of his masterful creations from the bar in his glass. His laugh, his love, and his spirit will live on in the hearts of his children and grandchildren.
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