Henry Brevoort Cannon III

Obituaries

Wednesday, 10 June 2020 09:28

Henry Brevoort Cannon III died on Saturday, March 21, 2020 of delayed complications from heart valve replacement surgery on January 30th. A funeral service at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Scottsboro will take place on Sat., June 13 at 11 a.m. with limited seating capacity. The church website will have a link to a webcast of the service on Facebook and YouTube.
Born on Wednesday, April 20, 1938 in Boston, Massachusetts, Henry, known to many as Harry, grew up in several locations in the Northeast and spent much time with his beloved cousins at ancestral family homes in Cherry Valley, New York and Rochester, New York, home of his maternal grandparents, Harper Sibley and Georgiana Farr Sibley. The family home in Cherry Valley was a favorite haven his whole life.
He graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and then from Yale University in 1960 with a BA in economics and an interest in early computers. After college he served in the U.S. Army Security Agency from 1960 to 1963.
Subsequently, he lived in New York City where he met Kathleen Johnsen of Lincoln, Nebraska, who was living in the same apartment building in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. They were married on a Saturday on June 17, 1967 and began a union of almost 53 years.
In 1972 he moved to Scottsboro to be data processing manager for the Revere Copper and Brass aluminum rolling plant, later owned by Norandal USA. After retiring from Norandal in 1987, he did consulting and custom software development for many regional businesses including Polymer Industries in Henagar, Ala.
His sons John and Brevy were the highlights of his life. He always threw himself into supporting them, from coaching T-ball to learning to play the organ when his son John became a church organist. He was perhaps never prouder than when he joined John on organ recital tours to churches and cathedrals around the country and abroad.
From boyhood to old age, he always loved outdoor activity, from walking and hiking to biking, fishing, skiing and golf, all of which he did well into his 70s. After age 55 he got into the best shape of his life, rollerblading or bicycling for miles daily. He did several 100+ mile bike rides.
He loved to travel and explore, starting as a youth, and visited dozens of countries over his lifetime. When stationed in Turkey with the U.S. Army Security Agency in the early 1960s, every weekend he explored a region in his white Volkswagen Beetle, often finding unmarked ancient ruins. He and Kathy would alternate driving and navigation duties as they explored much of Europe and the U.S. on road trips. He led the family to explore hundreds of miles of hiking trails and four-wheel drive trails in the Rocky Mountains from a family home in Estes Park, Colorado. On hikes all over Otsego County, N.Y. with cousins, he usually led a “hardy pioneers” group on a bushwhacking route, often retracing rugged walks from his boyhood.
He was known for his wisdom, as a peacemaker and for his great sense of humor, gentle demeanor and quick smile. Open, loving and kind by nature, great friendship came naturally to him, and he kindled many lifelong friendships.
The credo “to whom much is given, much is expected” guided his life. He was involved in many causes including Rotary International and the Episcopal Church. A lifelong Episcopalian whose father was an Episcopal priest, his Christian commitments took many forms over his lifetime, from missionary work in Japan during college to Kairos prison ministry for more than 20 years. He joined St. Luke’s Church in Scottsboro in 1972 and served several terms as senior warden. He also supported many church efforts including Episcopal Relief and Development projects like building water wells in Africa.
Henry is survived by his wife, Kathleen Johnsen Cannon, his son Henry B. (Brevy) Cannon IV and his sister Urling Kingery, four nieces and nephews, Caleb Wertenbaker, Liam Wertenbaker, Anne Kingery-Schwartz and Kate Kingery, and five grandnieces and grandnephews. He was predeceased by his youngest son, John Andrew Cannon, his sister Julia Cannon Wertenbaker, and his parents Anne Dunton Sibley and the Rev. Henry B. Cannon Jr.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to Episcopal Relief and Development or Rotary International. The family welcomes cards at 916 Dayton Dr., Scottsboro, AL 35768.