Edith Charity Shannon

Edith Charity "Cherry" Cannon was born on January 2nd, 1940 to Randy and Ella (Larsen) Cannon at Deaconess Hospital in Wenatchee, Washington. She was joined by her brothers Jim (1946) and Lee (1949), and their family was later completed by the adoption of her brother Bob in 1962. She grew up on her great-grandfather's homestead in the Entiat Valley, where her father harvested wheat, apples, and pears and also raised some cattle. She developed a love for the outdoors and animals at a young age, almost always accompanied by an entourage of animals (especially dogs and cats) throughout her life. She attended school in Entiat as well as Sunday School in Ardenvoir, where she began a lifelong commitment to her faith in Jesus Christ. She met Al Shannon when she was six and he was eight after his family moved to Washington from Arkansas and his father began working for her father. They didn't begin dating until she was sixteen (the "proper" age to date, according to her parents) but were soon married on June 24th, 1958, just a few weeks after she graduated from Entiat High School as salutatorian. The couple lived in Entiat while Al attended Wenatchee Valley College, and then moved to Pullman when he transferred to Washington State University in 1961. While Al attended school, Cherry worked in the college administration building and also proofread and often typed Al's many papers. When he accepted a job with Pacific Northwest Bell in 1963, the couple moved to Seattle. Their daughter, Merry, was born in 1964, and the family continued to live in the Seattle area until Al was transferred to New York in 1968. The family then moved to New Jersey, where their daughter Mitzi was born in 1970. Soon after, Al was transferred back to Seattle and the family bought a house on Mercer Island in 1971 before moving to Issaquah in 1974. Al was given an opportunity to retire early from Pacific Northwest Bell in the 1980s, and the family made their final move back home to Entiat in 1982. It's hard to reduce a life down to a few words on a page, especially when that life touched so many others. Cherry was kind to everyone she met and had a special way about her that made others feel important and valued. She opened her home to many people over the years and was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it. She was a great listener and was so full of wisdom and encouragement. She could sing, cook, dig a water line, build a rock wall, sew, and play piano; there was almost nothing she couldn't do exceptionally well. She was always working on some sort of outdoor project and could run a chainsaw like no other. She had a tremendous sense of humor and was full of funny stories, songs, and sayings. She was a wonderful teacher and friend. She was truly loved by all who knew her and will be incredibly missed. She is preceded in death by her father, Randy; her mother, Ella; and her brother, Bob. She is survived by her brothers Jim (Julie) of Entiat and Lee (Debbie) of Apache Junction, Arizona; her husband of 64 years, Al of Entiat; her daughters Merry (Mike) Bell of Entiat and Mitzi (Larry) Southard of Entiat; her nephew Kyle (Jamie) Cannon of Entiat; her grandchildren Mark (Gabi) Bell of Spokane, Melanie Bell of Entiat, Mandy (Thomas) Sanford of Entiat, Taylor Southard of Entiat, and Faith Southard of Entiat; her great-grandchildren Shannon, Jacob, Eleanor, and Brooke; and her great-nephew, Jack.

Edith Charity Shannon

January 2, 1940 - February 28, 2023