James L. Cannon

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

As a true believer, James L. Cannon joined his adoring and devoted wife, Virginia Dickens Cannon, and his Lord in eternal life on Sunday, December 16, 2018. Known lovingly by his family as "Bob" or "Zob" or "Jim" by friends and colleagues, Jim was born November 4, 1926, in Lakeland, Florida, to his sweet parents, Henry W. and Ophelia Manetsby Cannon. When Jim was four years old, the Cannon's, including sisters Eleanor and Louise, moved to Wilson, NC, which he would forever call his home.

Jim attended Charles L. Coon High School until he was 16 years old when he joined the Navy in the Asiatic Pacific theater during World War II. He served from 1944 to 1946 on the destroyer escort 240 USS Moore and the destroyer 747 Samuel N. Moore as a gunner's mate, a period of time in his life that he could still recount to his last days. After his service in the Navy, Jim returned home to graduate from Charles L. Coon High School in 1947 while working at Dick's Hot Dogs. He graduated from Atlantic Christian College in 1951 and then went on to receive a Masters in Counseling from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. He worked with Nash County Schools back in Wilson from 1954 - 1960.

Later in the 1960's, Jim left the security of his parents and his hometown of Wilson to move to Sullivan's Island, SC, to be closer to Virginia's sister, Polly, and her growing family. After working in the admissions department at Palmer College, Jim embarked on a thirty year career with Charleston County Schools at St. Andrews High School as a faithful and dedicated guidance counselor. If only we knew about all of the lives that he touched! The 1974 yearbook said, "Mr. Cannon is an indispensable guidance counselor who always offers a helping hand to students in need." He was recognized as having never missed a single day in all of those thirty years!

While on Sullivan's Island, Jim spent his free time focusing on his yard, his precious pugs, Adam and Bledsoe, and his cat, Giddy. He was so meticulous with his yard that he won "Yard of the Month" month after month after month. He was so very proud of the life he and Virginia created there.

After some scares with storms, Jim and Virginia left the front beach of the island for a condominium downtown at Dockside. He developed many other hobbies including reading and research, golfing and reading about golf, and shopping up and down King Street looking for unique antiques. Jim was a fan of Prevention Magazine and GNC before healthy eating and a proactive lifestyle were in vogue. He devoted more time picking out gifts for his nieces than most fathers would for an only child.
But more than all of these wonderful work and life contributions combined, Jim loved his Lord Jesus. His daily blessing and life refrain was for the Lord to pardon the sins of his heart, to help him and guide him, to help him do the things that were right, and to live a more Christian life every day. And he did. His family and his friends could not be more grateful for the beautiful Christ-like life he lived. Before his illness, he and Virginia dearly loved their Drawing Near to God Bible study.

Surviving are his sister-in-law Polly D. Wurthmann, his nieces Gayle W. Culler (Michael), Gina W. Lesslie (Les), Jonsye D. Wurthmann (Scott), Polly A. Wurthmann (Mark), Sarah Catherine Gantt-Scott (Jim), and Joyce Meeks, nephew Rocky Wurthmann, and many great nieces and nephews.

We would like to generously thank all of Jim's kind and loving care givers in the memory care unit of Franke at Seaside in Mt. Pleasant. We can't express how touched we are by how well they took care of Jim and, as a result, they will all hold a special place in our hearts forever.

His funeral service will be held on Thursday, December 20, 2018 in J. HENRY STUHR, INC., MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL, 1494 Mathis Ferry Road at 11:00 am. Entombment with military honors will follow in Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens, 1308 Mathis Ferry Road. The family will greet friends in the Mount Pleasant Chapel on Thursday from 10:00 am until time of the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the local Alzheimer's Association in honor of Bob's loving wife, Virginia, at 2090 Executive Hall Road, Suite 130, Charleston, SC 29407