John Albert Cannon,

Floyd StreetThe Reverend John Albert Cannon, Jr., age 85, of Social Circle, died Sunday, January 16, 2011.  He was the son of the late John Albert and Ruth Thompson Cannon.  John was born in his grandfather's home in Decatur, and was educated in the Decatur city schools.  At the age of 17 he joined the U.S. Navy.  During World War II he was attached to the First Marine Air Wing in the South Pacific Theater.  After the war, he married his high school sweetheart, Jeanne Butler Cannon, and they recently celebrated their 64th anniversary together.  John and Jeanne attended Newberry College and graduated in 1949.  John continued his studies and graduated from Columbia Seminary in Decatur, in 1952, and was ordained as a Presbyterian minister that same year.  He served several pastorates in North Carolina before moving to Florida.  John received a Masters Degree in Counseling from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, and was Director of Counseling at Daytona Beach Community College until his retirement.  Returning home to Georgia after retirement, he settled in East Newton County, where his family roots run deep.  John has attended First Presbyterian Church in Covington for the past 25 years.  He was a life member of the American Legion, the Georgia Education Association, Newton County Historical Society, and the Atlanta Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. John is survived by his wife, Jeanne Butler Cannon; son and daughter-in-law, Ben Butler and Clarissa Cannon of Social Circle; grandchildren, Melanie and Todd Turner, Hope Reese, Jeanne Marie Cannon, John Albert III and Kiwondias Cannon, Rose and Ross Pringle and Corporal Savannah Jeanne Cannon, USMC; great-grandson, Emmanuel Reese; sisters and brother-in-law, Ellen and Arnie Johnson and Julia Morrison; brother and sister-in-law, David and Jean Cannon; many nieces and nephews. A memorial service for John will be held at 1:00 PM, Sunday, January 23, 2011, at First Presbyterian Church, Covington, with Rev. William B. Wade, Jr., officiating.