Karen Cannon

Karen Melissa Cannon, 37, of Athens, Texas, passed away December 1, 2023 at Faith Presbyterian Hospice in Dallas.
Melissa was born in Jackson, MS, on March 9, 1986, to Bart and Karen Cannon of Athens. She attended Christian schools in Rankin County, MS, Calvary Christian School in Harlingen, TX, and Raymondville public schools before graduating from Cleburne High School and Texas Christian University.
One of Melissas closest friends, Diana Price McCarley, said of Melissa, I finally found someone who worked just as hard as I do. Melissa unleashed this energy in the hospitality, public relations and marketing areas, and most recently in the fitness industry. In addition to a tireless work ethic, her dad observed Melissas stubborn determination at an early age. He noted, With Melissa, the word No! is just the beginning of negotiations.
A self-proclaimed force of nature, Melissa radiated a rare and infectious verve for life. She loved dancing, shopping, listening to music (particularly the group Hanson), frolicking at the beach, experiencing first-hand the beauty of Gods creation, and working outespecially on her Peloton bike. She considered herself a truth teller, and often proclaimed inconvenient and sometimes uncomfortable truths to family and friends in an effort to push them to be their best.
Her dad called Melissa his only blue-eyed baby girl, but she wasnt all sugar and spice. Melissa was a tenacious fighter and fiercely loyal. She would rise up with a vengeance against anything or anyone that threatened her family or close friends. Further, she fought valiantly against her final foe, cancer, until the very end. Melissa commented that she wanted to do things that mattered. In that spirit, the family would appreciate any gifts in her honor being sent to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA), www.ocrahope.org.
Melissa was spiritual, albeit not religious. She had an inquisitive mind about all aspects of life and brought the same fervor and enthusiasm to singing praises to God as she did to everything else. She enjoyed journaling and collecting Bartisms and other meaningful sayings. During her last few months, Melissa drew comfort from her paternal grandmothers Bible and the hand-written scripture cards her dad made.
Although she never married, Melissa relished being a nanny to her nephew and niece, Jonah and Madelyn Todd, respectively, and Beckett and Kaden Hopkins. She considered herself Momma to Emma and Shelby, her beloved dogs.
Melissa is survived by her parents, two sisters, Keri Cannon Hunt (Dan) and Beth Cannon Todd, a brother, Jonathan (Jon) Cannon, nephew Jonah Todd, and niece Madelyn Todd, and her two dogs. She was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Parker and Bettye Cannon of Pearl, MS, and Robert L. and Annabel Crawford of Jackson and Brandon, MS.
Instead of a traditional memorial service, Melissa challenged her family and friends to get on with their lives and experience the joy and sense of adventure with which she approached life. Therefore, at her insistence, the family will gather on or about her next birthday to spread her ashes along the Pacific Coast in Oregon, where Melissa seemed to experience her happiest days. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Karen, please visit our Tree Store.