Steve L. Cannon

SOUTHSIDE Steve L. Cannon, age 61, of Southside, died May 20, 2008. Graveside services with full Military Honors will be 1 p.m. Friday at Crestwood Cemetery with Rev. Frank Samuels officiating and Crestwood Funeral Home of Gadsden directing. The family will receive friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

He was born in Tuscaloosa to Bill and Helen Cannon and graduated from Tuscaloosa High School in 1965. He lived in Montgomery, Fayette, and Tuscaloosa before moving to Gadsden.

Master Sergeant Cannon served his country as a member of the Alabama National Guard since June 20, 1965. He began his career as a cook for the 2nd Brigade 31st Infantry Division until April of 1974 when he was reclassified as a Chaplains Assistant for the same unit. In March of 1975 he began work as a recruiter for the Alabama National Guard on Active Duty State Work until May of 1982. During this time he helped to build the strength of the Alabama Guard and increase involvement in local communities. In 1982 he began his career in the administrative area by becoming the full time unit clerk for the 31st Engineering Company in Fayette. He continued with his career development, and in 1987 was promoted to the rank of 1st Sergeant for the company until his transfer to the 31st Armor Brigade in Northport. MSG Cannon worked at Brigade headquarters in Northport from March 1989 until September 2005, and was instrumental in the deployment of several units within the Brigade to Afghanistan and Iraq. His expertise ensured that each unit was prepared and their records complete. In 2005 he voluntarily transferred to 152nd CM BN to work as both the Operations Sergeant and the Administrative NCO for the Battalion as a backfill for their soldier deployed with other units.

He is survived by his wife, Tricia Cannon; daughter, Kathryn Fickling of Birmingham; brother, Skip (Ninette) Cannon of Tuscaloosa; grandchildren, Emily and Matthew Fickling; stepsons, Terrell Thrasher and Trent (Jenny) Thrasher of Southside; stepgrandchildren, Gabriella Antonelli, Chloe Antonelli, and Tyler Thrasher.

Pallbearers will be MAJ (Ret) Bert Hedrick, MSG (Ret) Jimmy Albright, MSG J.C. Hunter, MSG Donny Hunter, MSG Durand Minton, SFC John Mills.

Special thanks to New Beacon Hospice, all personal friends who helped in his care, especially 5th floor personnel at Gadsden Regional Medical Center, 6th floor personnel of Riverview Regional Medical Center, Dr. Dinesh Parmar, Dr. Merle Wade, Dr. Ed Fergerson and Dr. Sinha.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to UAB Childhood Cancer Research Center.