Ralph Cannon Dear

Ralph Cannon Dear, Jr., passed away after battling multiple myeloma cancer, on July 27, 2023. He was 69 years old. He was born in Elmhurst, Illinois on March 22, 1954, to Sally Dallis Dear, of New York City, and Ralph Cannon Dear Sr., of Jersey City, New Jersey.

The newspaper business took them to Wheaton, Illinois where Cannon, as called by family and friends, grew up with his siblings Salli Karen and Jeff. His mother instilled in him a love of learning, music, and celebrating holidays! His father loved nature, competitive sports, singing and journalism. Cannon played the cello in the school orchestra. He also was in Sea Scouts in high school, and talked about it often! He joined the wrestling team in high school and was a very disciplined athlete and loved competing! His parents divorced when all three kids were young, but that didn’t stop Cannon from pursuing many of his interests and academic goals.

He graduated from Wheaton Central High School, 1972, and after that went to Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. He studied History/Political Science and went there also for their wrestling program. After over a year, he decided to leave Lehigh. He had done well there and made the Dean’s List . He had other interests though and after spending some time working in Houston, TX, returned to Wheaton, Illinois. There he developed the more spiritual side of his life and attended Wheaton College, where he graduated in 1978, Magna cum Laude, French major. Cannon loved language and was able to participate in a great summer missions program in France. Cannon usually excelled in whatever he put his mind to and he spoke excellent French! His love of France, French literature, French cuisine, etc., he carried with him all the days of his life! He was reading French Literature (plays) out loud in the final weeks of his life, both at home and in the hospital!

In 1981, he married Jane Ellen Thornell of Hinsdale, Illinois (originally from Iowa!). They first lived in Oak Park, IL and Cannon started a career in the computer software industry. They were active members of The Chicago Temple (Methodist) in downtown Chicago, for many years. He started his software sales career with IBM in the Windy City. He later worked for other companies including Oracle, GE, Sybase and Lotus. He accepted a job opportunity to Boston where they lived almost 10 years on the north shore in Lynn, and Cannon worked for Lotus Software in Cambridge, MA. While in Lynn, MA, he and Jane started their family with a son, Lucas ! They lived in a great neighborhood with lots of kids and generous and kind neighbors! They truly had wonderful memories of life in greater Boston ! Cannon had the opportunity to work both in sales and sales management.

A job transfer took the family to Atlanta, GA, in the mid-90’s. They spent about 10 years, in Dunwoody, GA before launching on a great adventure! Cannon had a long time desire to study at a seminary or get a theology degree. He had taken advantage of a few opportunities to study theology both in Atlanta at RTS (Reformed) Seminary, a summer Greek program at Princeton Seminary, and a summer scholastic program at Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University. In 2003 the family headed across the pond to Oxford University in the UK! That was a dream fulfillment for Cannon. He was a lover of C.S. Lewis and the Inklings, British literature and he was able to study theology at St. Edmund Hall “Teddy Hall”. They settled into a whole new kind of life in England! It was an experience never to be forgotten! Cannon achieved his dream of getting a Master’s degree from Oxford, in Scholastic Medieval Theology. This satisfied his love of Christian history and Latin, as well as philosophy! Cannon spent many hours in libraries reading and working on his thesis. He was known to have often been the last to leave at closing time, or to be almost accidentally locked in overnight surrounded by ancient Latin manuscripts and old theology books! Mind you, Cannon bicycled all over Oxford, day or night, as many students did.

His family didn’t see him a lot when he was in the thick of studies but Lucas attended school and learned all about rugby, cricket and English football! Jane had the opportunity to work for the University Central Chemistry department. They were all very busy! It was eye opening to live abroad and have such unique experiences.

The family returned to Atlanta, GA after 2 years in the UK. Although Cannon continued to enjoy his work in sales, he brought back with him a great deal of knowledge and he loved to impart it by teaching Sunday school classes when he could or leading Bible study over the years. He was a gifted teacher as well as a good writer.

Cannon was not giving up when he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2019. His doctors, nurses and therapists were always amazed how he made it through all the hospitalizations and treatments. They were reminded by his family that he had been a wrestler and that was very much still in him as well as his strong faith in Jesus Christ keeping him strong and pushing onward day after day! Prayer, meditation and Bible study were always a part of his daily routine.

Cannon will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He loved being a husband, a dad and a grandfather! He and Jane were married almost 42 years! He had a passion for all things French and for college wrestling which he watched online frequently. He also loved Chicago sports teams and other college sports (especially Illinois!). He continued to be an avid reader and enjoyed discussing all things academic especially in the realm of Christian Theology, classic literature and history.

Cannon was preceded in death by both parents, Ralph C. Dear (Evansville, In), Sally Dallis Dear (Wheaton, IL), and sister Salli Karen Dear (Los Angeles).

He is survived by his loving wife, Jane Dear, devoted son, Lucas (Hailee), and granddaughters, Noa and Malka, (all of Atlanta, GA) ; Step-Mother, Pheabe Dear, brother, Martin Dear and sister, Gwendolyn Dear (Evansville, IN) ; and brother, Jeffrey Dear (Lena, IL) ; and several nieces and nephews.

Any memorial giving can be sent to the following cancer foundations:

https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html

(St Jude Children’s Research +1-(800) 805-5856)

https://give.themmrf.org

(Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation 1-203-229-0464)

Graveside services held Monday August 28 at Wheaton Cemetery, Wheaton, IL. Arrangements entrusted to Chapel Hill Gardens West Funeral Home.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ChapelHillGardensWest.com for the Dear family.