Retired York faculty member Flora "Anne" Cannon died suddenly on Friday, Jan. 22, in Pompano Beach, Florida, where she and her husband Don spent several months each year. She was 80.
Mrs. Cannon first joined York in 1969 and retired 22 years later. She worked at the Steacie Science & Engineering Library before moving to the newly opened Scott Library. In 1973, she became head of the Government Documents/Administrative Studies Library, which was housed in what was then called the Administrative Studies Building, now the Health, Nursing & Environmental Studies Building. In 1982, Mrs. Cannon became head of the Reference Department in the Scott Library.
Right: Flora "Anne" Cannon
“She helped to build the government documents collection at York and she served on a number of important library committees,” says Vivienne Monty, a librarian at the Leslie Frost Library on the Glendon campus and a former co-worker of Mrs. Cannon’s. “She was my first boss and a good friend. She was wonderful, supportive and helpful to me as a new person at the library. Some people knew her as having a strong personality, but behind that was a very shy person.”
She had a passion for all things financial and when she retired from York, Mrs. Cannon continued to read books and articles about finance, says Monty. That was her hobby.
During her time at York, the government documents collection was her favourite. “I think we both adored that place for a long time,” says Monty, who still lives by a piece of Mrs. Cannon’s advice. “She would always say, ‘Make a doormat out of yourself and people will wipe their muddy feet on you.’ I never forgot that.”
Mrs. Cannon is survived by her husband of 57 years, Don, their four children, David, Susan, Carl and Carolyn, eight grandchildren and her brother Richard. Carolyn works as a special assistant to the senior director of Admissions, Communications & Client Services at York.
A memorial for Mrs. Cannon will be held on Friday, Feb. 5, at 1pm in the Trinity College Chapel, 6 Hoskin Ave., Toronto. A visitation and refreshments will follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Anne’s memory to a charity of your choice.
Interment will be at Cataraqui Cemetery in Kingston in May. The arrangements will be made through the Robert J. Reid & Sons Funeral Home.