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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

Dear Walter Sr., I'm so sorry about Walter, Jr. I had the great pleasure of being able to meet him, hang out with him at union meetings, and we took a confined space class together. He used to call me little sarge. I will miss him, as will Local 3. My condolences. Sincerely, Michael Sloboda Local 3 Journeyman

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Uncle Rick
15 years ago

The family had just finished our Thanksgiving feast and we were stuffed. Uncle Bob told Walter and me that he had read that no one could drink one shot of beer every minute for one hour. Walter was always up for a challenge and I joined him. Sixty shots of beer later, after having disproved the theory, Walt and I celebrated... with a beer. I was lucky to have spent every Thanksgiving and Christmas with Walter for the last 44 years. This Thanksgiving I challenge you all to do the sixty shots of beer. I know he will be joining us from heaven.

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Veronica Rose
15 years ago

I met Walter over 25 years ago when he was anticipating becoming a member/apprentice of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union #3. He could not wait to join the union and follow in his father's footsteps. I was grateful he had been accepted and I had another gropher and heavy lifter for the many projects around the house. Many of my fondist memories include Walter. More to follow later....tears getting in the way.

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cirella101
15 years ago

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cirella101
15 years ago

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cirella101
15 years ago

WALTER LOVED PLAYING THE HARMONICA. Here he is giving his son Wyatt a chance to jam. Wyatt's passion is playing the drums. Walter took him to drum lessons every week after school.

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cirella101
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

Slide Show

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

In the first week of May the second grade had the wonderful celebration of the sacrament of First Holy Communion. That week they also experienced another first. Tragically, it was the loss of a classmate's parent, Wyatt Cannon's father. Walter Cannon was killed in a motorcycle accident only days before his son's communion. Being unprepared for this young death, the children armed with their faith and understanding of the death and resurrection of Jesus faced this sad side of life. In the few years I knew Walter and the times we talked, I discovered an insightful and complex person. Walter was physically impressive; you knew when he entered a room, at the same time quiet and unassuming. It appears that these types of contradictions existed around him. I will never forget the first time I saw Walter. It was the fall of kindergarten, Wyatt and my son, James, were in the same class. I was picking up my boys and while waiting I saw Walter place Wyatt onto his motorcycle, put on their helmets and ride off. I immediately reacted to myself--what kind of man is that? Soon I would learn. My next memory of Walter was during a Children's Mass. Walter was walking in with Wyatt. I looked and thought "would expect to see him at Mass?" I soon learned that they regularly attended the family and 10:30 Masses. Wyatt and James became friends over time. One of James' first outings with the Cannons was at Centre Ave School. Jen, Walter, Wyatt, and Josie were playing family baseball and asked James to join. On another play-date, Walter asked if James could try to learn to ride a motorbike. We knew Walter would be cautious with James and agreed to let him try. Walter was willing to share one of his greatest passions--motorcycle riding with his son and mine. Now I partially understood Wyatt's trip home from Kindergarten. For the curious: James crashed with no injury to himself or the bike. Perhaps from that day Walter and James shared a special bond. We would run into the Cannons on the weekends doing various family activities. As time went on I realized Walter was not a series of contradictions at all. He was an honest-to-goodness family man. Walter had other passions that he gladly shared with my family including a boating trip with my wife Michele and James. I cannot tell you for how long James bragged that Mr. Cannon let him drive the boat. I don't believe the pleasure was just driving the boat. Walter was an insightful man. One time he and I were talking about the boys. He explained to me that Wyatt had asked him what did he like to do when he was Wyatt's age. His response was great! He said that he told Wyatt that he loved going to school--it was his favorite thing. He said to me that at every opportunity he would tell Wyatt the same thing become Walter knew boys would try to emulate their fathers and used this to Wyatt's advantage. My last memory of Walter is so appropriate. I saw him the night before his accident watching Wyatt's baseball game. Walter had a great smile. But watching Wyatt play made his smile brighter. This memory will help me easily remember Walter as the great Dad and family man he was. A man who will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

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billcannon
15 years ago

I was 12 years old and big brother Walt said it was time for me to learn how to drive. So we set out in his 1967 Chevy Malibu and drove to the Busybee parking lot in Massapequa Park. It was snowing, and there was already about 3 inches on the ground. Walt's instructions were simple. Get behind the wheel; put your foot on the brake. Turn the wheel all the way to the left, and put the car in drive. The next instruction was to "gun it." Yeehaaaa! My first time behind the wheel...and I'm making dough nuts! Walt's next instruction? "Watch out for that pole!" he said.

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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billcannon
15 years ago

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