Thomas Earl Cannon

TROY - Thomas Earl Cannon, 87, passed away peacefully and with dignity on April 22, 2017 at the Eddy Heritage House in Troy, NY, with his family by his side.

Born January 3, 1930 in the Cohoes Hospital on Main Street, he was the son of the late Earl H. and the Late Catherine Collin Cannon. Both of Tom’s grandfathers served in the Cohoes Police Dept., Officer Patrick “PatsyPatsy” J.J Cannon and the Chief Lt Col Thomas “Cam” Campbell Collin. Cam later served as Chief of the Cohoes Fire Dept.

Tom is the husband of Maureen Carol Maguire Cannon of Troy whom he married on October 12, 1957.

Tom graduated in 1947 from the former Keveny Memorial Academy in Co-Co hoes, attended Troy Business College, A & P Management Training School in Boston, MA, and was a 1978 graduate of Hudson Valley Community College, receiving an Associate’s Degree in Mortuary Science. He completed a residency at Swartz Memorial Chapel Inc. in Albany. Tom took over as manager of the Joseph A. O’Bryan Funeral Home Inc. in Troy until the death of Helen Sheehan O’Bryan when the business was closed. Tom was then employed part-time for Albany Savings Bank as a courier for over five years before retiring.

In his earlier years, Tom, along with close friends Bill White and George Marble, ranan a radioadio show,show “The Whiz Quiz” on WEVR-FM, the voice of the Veteran’s Vocational School (later to become Hudson Valley Community College). He also enjoyed square dancing at Carroll’s Grove, and was a charter member of Circle#440, The Monsignor Thomas Sylvester Keveny Columbian Squires (Junior K of C). He was a former member of Council #192, K of C of Cohoes, and the St. Bernard’s Holy Names Society.

Tom was employed for various companies over the years, starting out working for the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A& P) while in high school and Troy Business college, and later in sales with Borden Cheese Company, Purex Corporation, Buffington Inc., Tilden Yates Laboratories, Breakstone Sugar Creek Foods, and General Hearing Aid Inc. in Colonie.

He was a communicant of the former St. Paul the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Troy where he also served as President of the Holy Names Society, Choir Director, and General Chairman of the Moonlight Festival (Bazaar). He was also a member of the Couples Club and the Parish Council. He is currently a communicant of St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church in Wynantskill.

Tom was a charter member of the Keveny Athletic Association and a member of the Keveny Alumni Association where he served as Treasurer. He was a committee member and institutional representative for Cub Scout Pack 550.

In addition to his wife, Tom is survived by his three children; Elizabeth “Beth” Mary Ouellette of Troy, Patricia “Patti” Ann (Michael) Murphy of Troy, and Stephen Thomas Cannon of Phoenix, AZ; six grandchildren, Colleen Michelle (Nick) Malinowski of Green Island, Lauren Nicole (Reuben) Ouellette-Bruchez of Troy, Kaira Danielle Ouellette of Delmar, Erin Elyse ( Will Hughes) Ouellette of Cohoes, Matthew Stephen Cannon of Mesa, AZ, and Melissa Louise Cannon of Delmar; two sisters, Elizabeth A. (James) Powell of Waterford, and C. Earla (the late Robert) Bills of Cohoes; one sister-in-law, Eileen M. Maguire of Troy; life-long friends, George and Maryann Marble of Troy, Thomas “Tim” (the late Helen) Purcell of Troy, Bill and Ann White of Clifton Park andand Pat and Carl Flood of Glens Falls ,and many nieces nephews, cousins, and godchildren.

Tom is predeceased by a grandson, Matthew Christopher Ouellette, who died on June 1, 1993; brothersin-law, James Doherty, Robert Bills, and Joseph Avossa, sisters-in law, Joan Maguire Avossa, and Sr. M. Patricia Maguire, SM.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff on the third floor of Heritage House for their love and compassion since January of 2016. And the staff would like to thank Tom for his wonderful singing during dinner.

The funeral service for Tom will be held Thursday morning at 8:45 am from the Wm. Leahy Funeral Home, 336 Third Street, Troy and at 9:30 am at St. Jude the Apostle Church in Wynantskill where a mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Anthony Ligato, Pastor. Relatives and friends are invited to attend and may call at the funeral home Wednesday from 4 – 8 pm. Interment Oakwood Cemetery, Troy

Donations: Marist Missionary Sisters, 349 Grove Street, Waltham, MA 02453, ATTN: Donations (in memory of Sr. M. Patricia Maguire).