Nancy Maria Cannington

Nancy Maria (nee Petersen) Cannington passed peacefully from this life on July 26, 2023, in her home in Norcross, Georgia. She was 92. Nancy was born in Elmhurst, Illinois on February 19, 1931, to Alfred Peter Petersen and Lillian Ann (nee Dalton) Petersen. Nancy attended Hillsborough High School in Tampa, FL, and graduated in 1949. After high school, she enlisted with the Navy and was later honorably discharged. On January 10, 1954, she married her high school sweetheart, James Herbert Cannington, Jr. Nancy and Jim were blessed with six girls from this union. Together they moved their growing family from New York state to Germany, Illinois, North Dakota, Japan, and Florida where her husband retired from the Air Force after 23 years. After several years in Florida, her husband's job relocated them to Atlanta, GA where they settled permanently in Norcross. Although Nancy's mother came from a large family, Nancy was an only child, but her dream was to have a larger family. She managed a house full of girls through military and civilian transfers. Nancy's passion was raising their family and taking care of their home. She never worked outside of the home and did not drive yet she still managed to go where she needed to go. In her younger days, Nancy could play the piano, and she had a beautiful voice and loved to sing. As a young teenager, she would often go to the movies and she loved a good musical. She was also an artist and loved painting. Although she could sketch with charcoal she loved painting with water colors. Nancy mostly enjoyed sitting in her backyard which she considered her little slice of heaven. She made sure the birds and squirrels had plenty to eat, in addition to the odd chipmunk. Nancy was a devout Catholic and attended St. Patrick's Catholic Church since 1977 when the church was located in downtown Norcross. Nancy was preceded in death by the love of her life, Jim, who was her beloved husband of 44 years, her parents, several aunts and an uncle and two daughters, Karen Ann Cannington and Mary Ellen Cannington. She will be greatly missed by her surviving daughters, Catherine Shallue (Ken), Donna Gracy (Bill), Patricia "Cricket" Cannington, and Linda Bell (Robert). She also leaves behind ten grandchildren: Sheila (nee Shallue) Hawn (Mike), Carol Shallue, Thomas Shallue (Lynn), Jeremy Gracy (Etsuko), Joseph Gracy (Laura), John Gessler III, James Gessler (Diana), Jeffrey Gessler, Jacquelyn (nee Sutton) Long (Chris), and Eli Bell along with 16 great-grandchildren. A funeral mass will be held on August 1, 2023, at 11:00am, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 2140 Beaver Ruin Rd in Norcross with Fr. Cyril Soo-Gil Chae officiating. There will be a graveside service at White Chapel Memorial Gardens, 1832 Pleasant Hill Rd in Duluth, GA following the mass. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the mass at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to: Olive Branch Hospice, 2310 Parklake Dr, Ste 430 Atlanta, GA 30345 - Or – Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries, 500 Pinnacle Ct, Ste 510, Norcross 30071. Online condolences may be left at www.billheadfuneralhome.com. Arrangements were made by Bill Head Funeral Home in Duluth, GA.