Josephine Goodrich Cannon

Josephine Goodrich Cannon

Dec. 23, 1935 – Aug. 9, 2023

Josephine “Joan” Cannon was a caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, mother-in-law, neighbor and friend. She left us on Aug. 9, 2023.

She was born in Lovell to Porter Merrill Goodrich and Eldona Thaxton Goodrich on Dec. 23, 1935. Her mother nicknamed her Joan right from birth, so that’s how people knew her throughout her life.

After graduating from Lovell High School in 1954, she attended Brigham Young University for one year before transferring to Utah State. During her short time at BYU she had a chance encounter with J. Terrance “Terry” Cannon, who would become her husband nine years later.

Her mother had a love of music that she passed on to Joan, who developed a talent for playing the piano, which she used to serve in various callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other capacities throughout her life. 

She also loved to crochet, and she made many blankets, scarves, hats and mittens that she either gave to neighbors and family or donated to various humanitarian projects. They are now cherished family keepsakes.

She developed rheumatoid arthritis in her mid 20s and lived with some form of pain for the rest of her life. Sadly, it also took the ability to crochet and play the piano away from her later in life, but we like to think she is now able to do both of those things the way she used to.

Joan was preceded in death by her sweetheart, Terry Cannon; great-grandson Banks Jensen; parents Porter Merrill Goodrich and Eldona Thaxton Goodrich; brothers Vernal and Grant Goodrich; sister Donna Lee Cook; and four half-sisters, Hazel, Leah, Doris and Lamar Goodrich.

She is survived by her children, Laura (Mike) Riss, Lisa Cannon and Adam (Tammy) Cannon; grandchildren Hailey (Seth) Jensen, Danielle and Trenton Riss, Alexis (David) Jaramillo, Peyton (Emily) Moss, Josiah Moss and Joel and Emily Cannon; four great-grandchildren; brothers Bruce and Gary Goodrich; and sister Helen Gay Child.