Bobby Gene Cannon – Bob or Mr. Cannon, 82, of Graham, formerly of Perrin, Texas, was picked up by Jesus on Tuesday, July 19, 2016.

Mr. Cannon was born on Dec. 17, 1933, in Collinsville, Texas, to the late Ethel and Fred Cannon. He married Jeanette Adams of Madison, Nebraska, on June 1, 1957, at the Miller Memorial Baptist Church in Collinsville, Texas. Mr. Cannon held Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Education from the University of North Texas and served the Perrin-Whitt Independent School District as their superintendent from 1966 – 1991. Mr. Cannon was also a real estate agent, and he thoroughly enjoyed farming and ranching in Perrin.

As Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Cannon had the opportunity to see many educational milestones including the establishment of a free and appropriate education for all students, gifted and talented programs, state standardized testing for student achievement, certification changes for teachers, along with many others. The most important event to Mr. Cannon as superintendent was celebrating the success of the Perrin students in the classroom, in academic extracurricular endeavors, and in sporting events. He simply enjoyed being a part of the lives of the people in the Perrin Community.

Mr. Cannon was a deacon of the First Baptist Church of Perrin. He served on the building committee and was instrumental in the building of the new Baptist church located east of Perrin. He gave faithfully to missions, taught Sunday school and his well read and worn Bibles are treasures for his family.

Most of all, Mr. Cannon loved his family. He was the eighth of 10 children, and he had four brothers and five sisters. Mr. Cannon was born with health complications, and by 18 years of age he had 21 surgeries and his remarkable journey is documented in medical journals. In 1972, he had the final surgery to repair those birth complications and the doctors predicted he would live for about 15 years.

In 1964 on his birthday, Bob and Jean picked up Cheryl Danice from Hope Cottage in Dallas, and then in 1969 in early November the three of them brought home Christopher Derek from the Edna Gladney Home. Cheryl and Chris were the true treasures for Mr. Cannon. Their prominence was only compromised by the births of his three grandsons – Lance Cannon Groves, William Corey Groves, and Casey Bailey Cannon.

Mr. Cannon also had the wonderful opportunity to know his great-grandchildren – Kain Simental and Kambrey Groves.

Surviving Mr. Cannon is his dear wife, Jeanette; daughter Cheryl and husband Kerry Groves of Graham; son Chris of Joplin; sister and brother-in-law Helen and Butch Jetzelberger of Fort Worth; and brother-in-law Billy Bob Johnson of Collinsville; and sisters-in-law Catherine Jacobsen of Garland, Eleanor Clark of Hooper, Nebraska, Mary Canuteson and Gloria Copeland, both of Dallas. Cherishing Grandad for a lifetime are Lance and Amanda Groves, Kain and Kambrey, Corey Groves, and Casey Cannon, along with many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Mr. Cannon was preceded in death by his parents; brothers JD, Harding, Billy Joe and Carroll; and sisters Nanny Bell, Mary, Alice and Joyce.

The family is grateful for the community of Brookdale Graham and for the people with Beyond Faith Home Health & Hospice.

Visitation will be from 6 to  8 p.m. at Morrison Funeral Home in Graham on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. The burial service will be at 11 a.m on Thursday, July 21, 2016, in Collinsville, Texas, at the Collinsville Cemetery. The family will host a Memorial Party at the First Baptist Church in Perrin on Sunday, July 24, 2016, at 6 p.m. with an old-fashioned dinner on the grounds following.