Michael Canning

Canning

Michael Canning

Michael Canning, retired foreign service officer, died peacefully at his home in Washington, DC, of leukemia on June 1, 2023.



He was born in Fargo, ND, on May 15, 1941, and became an avid moviegoer and Brooklyn Dodgers fan. He graduated from North Dakota State University in 1963, followed by a scholarship to study in Germany. He met his wife Judy on the boat to Europe, and the trip inspired their lifelong love of travel, music, and art.



Mike served as a cultural and informational officer with the United States Information Agency (USIA) at embassies in Managua, Lima, Kampala, Nairobi, Tehran, Rome, Buenos Aires, and Brasilia. He always found a way to share his love of American movies with local audiences.



After retiring from government service, Michael started his second dream career, as a movie reviewer for the Hill Rag. He wrote Hollywood on the Potomac, a guide to movies made in or about Washington, and was active in many local groups, including the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, the Hill Center, the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, and Friends of Southeast Library. He and Judy were founding board members of Capitol Hill Village, a nonprofit that supports "aging in place." He stayed in touch with foreign affairs as an active member of the Public Diplomacy Council and DACOR.



Michael is survived by Judy Canning, his wife of 58 years; his daughters Elizabeth (Robert) Blackwell and Rachel Canning (Soheil Motamed); and his grandchildren Clara, James, and Alan Blackwell; and Calvin, Scarlett, and Evan Motamed. A celebration of his life will be held later this summer.