Obituary of Cheryl Ann Cannon

Obituary of Cheryl Ann Cannon

Cheryl Ann Cannon was born on August 26th, 1956, in Washington, DC, to David H. Cannon Sr. & Ellen M. Cannon (both deceased). She was the firstborn of 4 children, followed by David H. Cannon Jr. (AKA Speedy), Ellen B. Cannon (AKA EB), & Robert A. Cannon. During Cheryl’s earlier years, she was raised in the Northern Michigan Park community, where she & her siblings would come to know the Brice Family as their first extended family. Later on, the family moved to the Shepherd Park Community, where she & her siblings met the Coward Family, who quickly became their second extended family. The Cannon family were Calvary Episcopal Church members, where Cheryl was baptized & confirmed as a young girl. In her later years,Cheryl attended many Bible Study classes at the same church.

Cheryl attended DC public schools & graduated from Calvin Coolidge High School in the class of 1974. During her school days, she was an active volunteer Candy Striper at Freeman Hospital in Northwest DC. She was also an avid horse-rider during this time & participated in equestrian competitions for a few years. Cheryl spent many days at the Rock Creek Park Stables, working with youth summer camps, training & riding horses. No stranger to babysitting her siblings over the years, Cheryl started babysitting professionally for her neighbors as her first role in the workforce following high school. She then worked at multiple Veterinary Hospitals over the next 10-15 years, including Rockville Veterinary Hospital alongside her sister.

Cheryl started as a Temp Receptionist for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) in 1990, where she would become their longest-serving employee of 29 years. After several promotions, she was later promoted to her final position as Senior Membership Services Coordinator until her untimely death. She was often the first person that NATCA members would see or talk to on the phone. She recently said, “The most rewarding part of being a member of NATCA’s staff is the day-to-day interactions with members & helping them with their needs.”

Cheryl was married on a beautiful sunny day in August of 1990, to Michael P Lyons at the home of Mamma Judy Coward in the Shepherd Park community of DC. They would later give birth to their two children, Michelle L Lyons & Justin M Lyons, and of course, they would also add a few pets to the family. The family started their life together in College Park, MD, where they stayed for several years. Cheryl always wanted to have an abundance of children, but unfortunately, her health would not permit it. Luckily, in the many years to come, she became a mother to many, including long-term friends of Michelle & Justin. Cheryl & Michael later divorced, and she moved in with her sister Ellen where she continued to raise her two children for 12 years.

Cheryl always had an affinity for travel & exploration, even when she was a teenager. The Cannon Family took many camping trips, including Niagara Falls in Canada and The Magic Kingdom in Florida. Her first international experience was in 1972 with her Aunt Evelyn C Hightower (deceased), traveling to Europe & sailing back on the Queen Mary. She enjoyed a memorable trip to the Grand Canyon in Arizona during one of her many Dog Show competitions. That trip would be the first of many in combining her love of travel & dogs.

In addition to her children, Cheryl had a deep love for dogs & took pride in her passion for training & showing dogs at competitions since the mid-1970s. She started competing in Obedience Trials with her beloved first dog Jason, later moving on to compete in Conformation Breed Shows with various dog breeds up until her untimely death. During this time, she met her longtime best friend & travel companion David Sullivan and many other close friends. Showing dogs started as a hobby for Cheryl & remained as such for many years before deciding to show dogs professionally as an Entrepreneur/Professional Handler. Aside from clients’ dogs, she went on to breed & professionally show her own dogs, including German Shepherds, Briards, & Leonbergers. In her more recent years, she was the exclusive Handler to the number 1 top winning Leonberger in the US, Odin. She’s shown dogs in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico & Europe, winning multiple Best in Show placements along the way.

Cheryl was a devoted mother who leaves her life and memories to be cherished by her children Michelle & Justin Lyons; her siblings Ellen, David & Robert Cannon (Karen Cannon, sister-in-law); along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and other loving relatives and dedicated friends.