Obituary of James A. Cannon

Dr. James A. Cannon passed away on May 2, 2020 at St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport, CT. Dr. Cannon (better known as Jimmy by family and friends) was born on August 2,1933 in the Bronx, New York. His parents, Frances & Peter Cannon, were both immigrants from Fanad, Donegal, Ireland. The oldest of five, Jimmy grew up on Tiffany Street in the Bronx and attended St. Athanasius grade school, Cathedral and Cardinal Hayes high schools. Upon graduation from Cardinal Hayes in 1951, Jimmy served in the US Navy for four years. After his military service, Jimmy enrolled at Fordham University where he realized his passion for Physics. His interest and talent for Physics led to him receiving his Masters from Columbia University and his PhD from Fordham University. He worked as a scientist at Bell Laboratories before becoming a tenured professor at Pace University and faculty member at his alma mater, Fordham. Jimmy met Monica Daly when she was sitting with his sister, Mary, on the stoop outside of his parents' apartment. Their courtship began when he took her to see the new Broadway show, West Side Story. Jimmy and Monica were married on June 30,1962. They raised five children - Cathy, Peter, Mary Anne, Jimmy and Christine. He was a loving, devoted husband and father, and a particularly proud and happy grandfather. Jimmy greatly enjoyed spending time with those he called "the dessert of life" - his 13 grandchildren. He told them stories about his life, those of their parents, and spoiled them whenever possible. Dr. Cannon was also a man of great intellect and humor. His intellectual curiosity knew few boundaries as he was an avid reader of history, theology, and Physics Today. Jimmy finished the New York Times crossword puzzle with astonishing speed every morning, needing only sporadic assistance from his children with issues of pop culture such as "what is the name of the lead singer in an Irish band, one word, beginning with a 'B' who still can't find what he was looking for?" He loved to laugh and particularly enjoyed The Jack Benny Program, The Carol Burnett Show, Cheers, and The Simpsons. Having grown up within walking distance of Yankee Stadium, Jimmy was a lifelong fan. As a child, he gained admission to Yankee games with money he earned gathering coke bottles. Jimmy unabashedly admitted to occasionally sneaking into the stadium with friends to watch a game. His many Yankee heroes included Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, and Phil Rizzutto. Indeed, the Cannon family pets, Casey and Bucky, were named after two Yankee greats, Casey Stengel and Bucky Dent. For Jimmy, the first day of spring wasn't in March - it was Opening Day. Jimmy remained close to his siblings throughout his life and was blessed to have lifelong friends he held close to his heart - Jim Goulding, Jim Reidy, and Pete Keeley. There is no doubt Jimmy is enjoying time in heaven with his good friend, Pete. Most knew Jimmy as Mr. Cannon, or 'Mr. C' as many of his children's friends called him. This was Jimmy's preference, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" Luke 14:11. While Jimmy was a man of great accomplishment, he showed great humility. He lived a holy life and strived to be a humble servant of God. Dr. Cannon was a devout Catholic who enjoyed starting his day by attending Mass. He found his study of Physics and his Catholic faith brought him closer to God and the beauty of the universe. We know he would see his passing on the The Feast Day of St. Athanasius - the patron saint of his beloved childhood parish - not as an accident, but as a sign of God's hand in his life, and reassurance to all that loved him, one never dies alone with Christ. He is survived by his wife Monica and their children, Cathy Antunes (Jose) of Sarasota, Florida, Peter Cannon (Eileen) of Tuckahoe, New York, Mary Anne Furfaro (Peter) of Ridgefield, Connecticut, Jimmy Cannon (Susan) of Rye, New York, and Christine Murray (John) of Cornwall, New York. He is also survived by his four siblings, John Cannon of Sleepy Hollow, New York, Mary Hanlon of Ridgewood, New Jersey, Andrew Cannon of Mclean, Virginia, and Eileen Lyons of Bronxville, New York, as well as his thirteen grandchildren, Sean Dunn, Austin Dunn, Caroline Cannon, Allie Cannon, Sarah Furfaro, Emily Furfaro, Mary Cannon, Grace Cannon, James Cannon, William Cannon, Ryan Murray, Katherine Murray and Christopher Murray. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Jimmy's name to CurePSP. https:// www.psp.org/