Cannon, Robert Keith

Robert Keith Cannon - age: 85
(April 16, 1927 to July 04, 2012 )
Resident of Ukiah, California

Obituary:
At the age of 85, Robert Keith Cannon passed away peacefully at the San Francisco Veterans’ Hospice, Fort Miley, on July 4, 2012. His beloved wife, Gina Louise Cannon, his daughter, Candyce Cannon, and his son-in-law, Victor Cayanan were at his side.
Bob was born in San Mateo, CA, on April 16, 1927. He was the last of the 6 children of Agnes Mills Cannon and Richard Cannon of Millbrae, CA. Bob grew up in Millbrae on Chadbourne Avenue, playing in the hills of Crystal Springs Reservoir, riding his bike all over the area from San Bruno all the way down to Redwood City. Bob knew all the ins and outs of the area. He attended Chadbourne School, where his older sister, Doreen, was his second grade teacher. Bob attended Burlingame High School, lettering in 110’s basketball and baseball. He graduated in 1945, but he was drafted into the Navy 2 weeks before his graduation ceremony.
Bob served in the Pacific on the USS Topeka. He did not see combat, but travelled throughout Asia. It was during this time that he got to know his oldest brother; Alfred Richard (Dick) who, being 21 years older than him, had moved out of the house before Bob was born. Dick was serving with MacArthur’s executive staff and was able to give Bob special tours of Japan. This was the beginning of a great friendship between brothers.
Upon return to the Bay Area, Bob used the GI Bill to attend San Francisco State. He played wing for the SF State soccer team, leading the team in scoring one year and making the All-Conference team. He majored in Physical Education thinking that he wanted to teach high school P.E. and coach baseball. He worked his summers for the Millbrae Recreation Department where he met Adolph Cecchi, who was to become his close friend and brother-in-law.
When Bob graduated from SF State, he got an elementary school teaching job in Ukiah in 1950 along with several other classmates from SF State. Bob spent the first years of his career teaching 50-55 children at Yokayo School in an auditorium with 5 other classes of the same size in the same room! When Northside School (later named Frank Zeek) opened, he moved there and taught for one year and then became the principal the next. He was principal at Frank Zeek School for 11 years.
Bob met Gina Cecchi while coaching her nephews’ baseball team in Millbrae during the summer of 1954. They were married in Carmel in August of 1957. Bob and Gina travelled down to the Bay Area from Ukiah often to visit their families and attend 49er games at Kezar Stadium (they were season ticket holders). They were blessed with their only child, Candyce, on Easter Sunday in 1961.
In 1966, Ukiah Unified School District shifted principals around and Bob moved south to Nokomis School. He would be principal there for 17 years, with the last year doing double duty as principal of River School, too. At lunch, you could find Mr. Cannon doing cafeteria duty or out on the playground refereeing a flag football or basketball game. The last 4 years of Bob’s professional career were spent as head of the Maintenance Department for the District, retiring in 1987.
During retirement, Bob and Gina travelled all over the world: Europe (extensively), China, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, and all 50 states, including Puerto Rico. They sailed on the Queen Elizabeth II and through the Panama Canal. This was a special treat for Bob since he had had to travel around Cape Horn on his way to England with his mother when he was 5.
Bob’s community activities were many. In his younger days, he refereed high school basketball all over the county and umpired Little League here in Ukiah. He sat on the Ukiah Planning Commission for many years. He worked with the American Cancer Society, the Retired Teachers of Mendocino County, Ukiah Valley Association for the Retarded (UVAR), and the California PTA (state level). He was an active member of the Ukiah Elks Lodge #1728 from 1963, serving as the Exalted Ruler in 1968. He ran the Elks’ hoop shoot for many years. He was one of the founding members of the United Christmas Effort, an organization that made sure local families had a Christmas dinner and presents each year. At their 40th class reunion, Bob inspired the Class of 1960 to start a scholarship fund for Ukiah High graduates who, like themselves, were community minded and hard workers. Mr. Cannon’s students listened to their former teacher and have been awarding their scholarship for many years.
Bob is survived by his loving wife of 54 years (August 3, 1957) Gina Cannon, his daughter, Candyce Cannon, his son-in-law Victor Cayanan, his grandson William Cannon Cayanan (16), his nieces, Kathleen Cannon, Marilou Yamamoto (Glenn) and Karen Dugas (Lee), sister-in-law Alberta Cecchi and her daughter Donna Cecchi, and cousins Lorraine Tallian, Lynn and Brian Starelli (Emily and Trevor), and Mike and Leti Tallian (Denise and Anthony), all of whom spent many hours visiting Bob during his stay at the Veterans’ Hospice. His sister-in-law Thursabell Cannon and nephew Mike Cannon live outside the Bay Area.
The Cannon Family wants to extend their sincere appreciation and love to the staff of the Veterans’ Community Living Center Hospice. Their skill, patience, understanding, and care went beyond the usual nursing practices and made a very difficult situation easier for all of us. We feel that we had Bob with us longer because of your care and devotion. Thank you for your love, laughter, and friendship. The family also wants to say thank you to our friends and family who cooked for us, ran errands for us, visited, and wrote letters/cards to us. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his name to the Community Foundation of Mendocino County/Class of 1960 Scholarship Fund, 290 South State Street, Ukiah CA, 95482 or to the charity of your choice.