Joseph B. Cannon

Joseph B. Cannon, age 87, of Eloy, Arizona, formerly of Garnett, Kansas, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 10, 2015, at his home. Joe was born on September 9, 1927, in Garnett, Anderson County, Kansas. He graduated from Garnett High School in 1944 and then attended the University of Kansas, School of Journalism. He met Winona June Erhart at The Jayhawk Café in Lawrence, Kansas, as they both worked their way through college. They were married on September 11, 1948. Upon graduation from KU, Joe went to work at The Southwest Daily Times in Liberal, Kansas. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1951 as a reporter. After an active duty stint, he transferred to the U.S. Air Force Reserve and returned to Liberal where he continued to work as a reporter, photographer and sometimes as news editor for another 20 years. In 1973, he and June moved to Casa Grande, Arizona, where he worked at The Casa Grande Dispatch. June preceded him in death in May 1973. Joe married Louise Roberta Moore in June 1975. In 1976, they purchased the weekly newspaper, The West Lane News, in Veneta, Oregon. He also published The Tri-County Shopper, The Tri-County News for Junction City, Harrisburg and Monroe, Oregon, and The Benton Bulletin in Philomath, Oregon. They retired in the late 1990s to Port Townsend, Washington, and moved to Eloy, Arizona, in 2005. They celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary June 21. He was also preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Catherine Lucille Cannon Phillips. Joe is survived by his wife, Louise, daughters Cindy Gibson, Sharpsburg, Georgia, and Sara (David) Vasquez, Tucson, Arizona; one brother, James F. Cannon, Jr., Garnett, Kansas, four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, one great-great granddaughter, two nieces, Beverly Phillips Pierce, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Patricia Phillips Kani, Newnan, Georgia, two great nieces and one great nephew. Graveside services with military honors will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, July 16, 2015, at the Garnett Cemetery in Garnett, Kansas. Visitation will be held from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Wednesday evening at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, 219 S. Oak St., Garnett, Kansas 66032. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications, in care of KU Endowment, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence, KS 66044. Condolences may be left for the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com