Arianna Mirabelle Gannon

“Chosen Daughter of the Most High”

December 10, 2010 - July 6, 2022

Arianna Mirabelle Gannon was born on December 10, 2010, to adoring parents Jonathan and Monica Gannon. She passed into the arms of Jesus on July 6, 2022. Arianna is survived by a host of people who cherished and loved her to the fullest during her brief 4,226 days on earth. She was only 11 years old. We simply called her “Nana.” Her grandparents and great grandma are Raymond and Kassiani Gannon, Samuel and Elizabeth Fontejon, Blanca McDaniel, Leslie and Scott Moore, and Mary Fontejon.

Her siblings loved and adored their baby sister so much. Anastasia Brundidge (married to Jeffrey), Jonathan II (married to Alicia), Josiah, Anneliese, and Angelina Gannon. And of course, her someday sister, Emily Schweiger. These were Arianna’s heroes. Her greatest fans. Her champions. Those who spoiled her without any hint of guilt or reservation. She was, simply, fully adored by each of them. Arianna was surrounded by a very special and very big family. In addition to her five siblings, she had 10 uncles, 7 aunties, 19 first cousins. Among the many moments of family joy in the past year, the greatest were the weddings of her big sister Anastasia and her big brother Jonathan.

Arianna loved being a student at Imagine Rosefield (elementary school) in Surprise, Arizona. She was a proud “Roadrunner” from kindergarten all the way to her 5th grade promotion on May 24, 2022. She was counting down the days to starting Middle School at Imagine Prep Surprise where all her siblings attended. She loved her teachers and classmates so much. She participated in school fundraisers, sang happily at Christmas concerts through the years, and proudly received the “Student of the Month” award in January of 2022 in the category of “Fairness.” The award reads, “To truly demonstrate fairness, you have to treat everyone the same. This means that you don’t treat your friends better than others. Being fair also means that you don’t put yourself above others. To be fair is to be equitable. Realizing that everyone should be treated the same.” A perfect description of our precious Arianna.

Arianna went to heaven in a terrible and sudden way. She had been at her church, LifeSpring Church in El Mirage, Arizona, where she had grown up. She was with her older sisters, Anneliese and Angelina. And of course, she was with her loving children’s pastor, Maggie Suggs. The girls twirled and danced preparing for a dance for the church’s upcoming Vacation Bible School. Arianna unpacked candy for the kids that would be coming to the VBS hear about Jesus. Arianna and her sisters did what they have done for years and countless times. They served. For Jesus. Because that’s what Gannons do. Arianna served so that others would hear about God’s love. So that others could go to heaven.

Little did we know that Arianna was just minutes away from stepping through the veil of this life, and into the very place she had hoped the children would know someday. After a flash of darkness, she was instantly standing in a place of pure light. In an instant she was twirling and

dancing in a place that Jesus had personally prepared for her. His plan for her life, in a way that is impossible for us to understand, was perfected. She was with Him. She is home.

She loved fidget poppers, popcorn, pickles, princess movies, and painting. She loved creating worlds in Minecraft giving us only a glimpse of her creative capacity. Arianna loved deepening quiet friendships in quiet ways as only fellow introverts would understand. She loved connecting with her friends and cousins over Roblox, FaceTime, and most of all, on sleepovers. Her depth and creative beauty are on display on her Pinterest page (@ariannagannon8). She knew the power of words and spoke with love over others. Her sweetness was never more on display than when she was with her puppies: Daisy (who is also in heaven), and Camilla.

Arianna knew Jesus. She loved Jesus. She was a student of God’s Word. She wrote out scripture verses, took sermon notes, highlighted and underlined in her Bible, and filled her room and life-space with crumbs from heaven. For those of us who love her, knew her best, and know where she is now…we are broken. We are left with only the cherished memory of her deep blue eyes and perfect dimples. The pain of her family is terrible. And yet, our prayer is that her life will now and always point people to Jesus.