Jessie Cannon

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Jessie attended public schools in Parma, Ohio, where she took flying and harp lessons and was valedictorian at Parma Schaaf High School. A Wellesley College graduate in botany, she became interested in politics while working for the Ohio Attorney General. She received a masters degree in political science from Case Western Reserve followed by a year at Harvard Law School, where she met Hugh Cannon. After their marriage she transferred to Boston University and received an MBA in accounting. Jessie practiced as a CPA until 2017, having established her own firm in 1974. She authored two portfolios on trusts for Tax Management and helped to find the Wake County Estate Planning Council.Jessie enjoyed playing the harp and often played for receptions and weddings. She also played with harpist friends Emily Babcock and Jean Morehead.Her civic activities were many. As president of Partners of the Americas, she often traveled to Bolivia and in 1991 organized an exhibition of paintings by contemporary Bolivian artists that concluded with a reception at the Bolivian Embassy. She also arranged performances of Bolivian musicians in North Carolina and a tour of South America by the Ciompi Quartet.Her interest in ethnic music led to a program of international music on radio in 1991 featuring interviews with participants in the Raleigh International Festival. This led to her founding of Triangle Music International in 1991 (later renamed Friends of World Music), which sponsored concerts by local as well as touring musicians from many countries. Her work helped bring to North Carolina well-known artists including Paco de Lucia, Baaba Maal, Inti Illimani, Jean Redpath, Thomas Mapfumo and Pierre Bensusan. As Executive Director, she often enjoyed hosting the musicians at her home. From 1994 to 2000 she provided music for the Coffee House at the International Festival in Raleigh.She was a founder of Habitat for Humanity in Wake County and a member of the Raleigh Human Relations Commission, serving as chairman in 1989-90. She later served on the Substance Abuse Commission of Raleigh. Recently she was active in the Arts Commission of Raleigh and at the opening of Fayetteville Street organized a storefront project with participation from local artists. She also arranged for local artwork to be shown in the new Convention Center. Working with the Downtown Alliance she helped to organize the display of banners painted by local artists that were displayed for two years on Fayetteville Street.Jessie served on the boards of non-profit organizations including: the Raleigh Chamber Music Guild, International Focus, the Raleigh Boys Club, and the Community Music School. She was often asked to serve as treasurer, including for: the Raleigh Little Theatre, Friends of the College, Common Cause of NC, Cued Speech Center, and the NC Folklife Institute. Although divorced from Hugh Cannon, the family remained close until his deathin 2005 because of their three children. She was predeceased by her son John Stuart. She is survived by her daughter, Judge Martha Adams of Orange County, Florida, and son, Marshall Cannon, with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
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