Virginia Tresa Barrowman Cannon

Virginia Tresa Barrowman Cannon 2/12/1914 ~ 2/25/2004  Virginia Cannon was born in Salt Lake City, UT to parents Robert and Tresa Barrowman in 1914, and was the oldest of three children. She grew up in Salt Lake City, graduating from Westminster College in 1933, and going on to study at the University of Utah. Here, she found true love when she met Angus Steffensen Cannon during one of her classes. They were married on Dec. 6, 1934.  Following her graduation, Virginia began work on a Master's Degree in Education at Brigham Young University. Though she had intended to become a teacher, there were no jobs available due to the hardships of the Great Depression. Instead, when she and Angus moved to Chicago, she found a career in the office of Frank Bain, who designed the Social Security System during the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. When her husband finished a graduate degree in Business at the University of Chicago, she preferred to retire from her work in order to return to Utah and begin a family. Virginia and Angus made a life for themselves in Provo, where they raised three children – Angus Robert, Stephen Philip, and Julia Virginia. Angus became the Human Relations director at Geneva Steel, while Virginia cared for the family, taught Sunday school in the Presbyterian Church, and became active in Beta Sorosus Women's Club. All her life, she stayed abreast of politics, read avidly, and kept a beautiful garden of roses. She and Angus lived frugally, carefully saving and investing their money so as to support their children and grandchildren in times of need. To her, the greatest achievement of her life was simply being able to provide for her family. After Angus' death in 1989, she remained a devoted mother and an independent woman. She died peacefully in her home.  Virginia Cannon is survived by her son Angus R. Cannon, her daughter-in-law Linda B. Cannon, her grandchildren Virginia Irene and Angus Joseph, her sister Betty Berquist, her niece Marilyn Mills Bryner, and her good friend and neighbor Clifford Pierpont.   Please contact Berg Mortuary in Provo at (801) 373–1841 for information on funeral services.