Marion Cannon

Marion passed away at Inglewood Care Centre on April 12th, 2022. Born Iva Marion Whitehead on June 6, 1923, in Delhi, Ontario, she was the second daughter and fifth child of 13 children born to Frederick (Fred) Elwood Whitehead (1881-1974) and Adah Matilda (Osborn) Whitehead (1895-1976).

Marion lived her entire childhood at the family home (the ‘Homestead’) in Delhi where she attended the local school. With 12 siblings, two parents and her Gramma Whitehead all living in one small two-storey, four-bedroom house, there was never a dull moment, and barely ever a moment to herself.

She was the much-loved mother of four daughters, often called her chicks, or ‘chicklets’: Karen Campbell (deceased), Mary Lou Willows, Karinna James, and Laurie Kozicki. She was deeply loved by her granddaughters Velvet Campbell and Casey James-Nasooti, her sons-in-law Tom James and Earl Campbell, grandson-in-law Reza Nasooti, and her great-grandchildren Caiden and Sadie James-Nasooti.

Marion was predeceased by her eldest daughter Karen (Nanaimo, BC February 2011), husbands Nicholas Kozicki (North Vancouver) and Robert Cannon (North Vancouver), parents Fred and Adah Whitehead of Delhi, Ontario. She is also predeceased by nine of her 12 siblings: brothers Raymond, Henry, Wilfred, Kenneth, Victor, Evan and Lee Whitehead, and sisters Kay Webb and Marva Babbey. She is survived by her brothers Cliff, Max and Jeff Whitehead, and numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and in-laws on both the Whitehead and Kozicki sides.

Marion’s grandmother (on her father’s side) was a Drake, and the lineage can be traced back to Sir Francis. Which is one explanation of why Marion was often stubborn and rebellious and at times a bit of an adventurer.

Marion enjoyed school and excelled in math. She could add long lists of numbers in her head (this was long before calculators). She was also a voracious reader and loved books and learning. She called books her ‘friends’. When she was not busy with household chores, going to school, or getting into mischief with some of her brothers, she could be found with a book in her hands. This habit never subsided. Even towards the end of her life, when she could barely see, she could be found with a book, insisting she was reading.

During her school days she was so afraid of fire and the school burning down, that when she went home for lunch, she would take her books with her. One day she forgot to take them back and went to the teacher in tears, asking for permission to run home to get them (permission was granted). Her books were more important to her than housework, including dishes. The story has been told that her older sister Kay washed the dinner dishes and Marion dried them. Marion often excused herself to go to the bathroom, never to return to finish her chore.

Marion loved her sweets, always choosing sugar over savoury. She was a basic cook and a good one, and was famous for her peach pies and home-made fudge. One Christmas her mother took all the kids, except Marion and brother Ken, to a Christmas Concert. All alone in the home, temptation was too great; Marion and Ken got into a bag of cookies that were intended for Christmas dinner dessert. One led to another, and another, and you know the story… Their punishment: no sweets for Marion and Ken that year.

After graduating from Grade 12 Marion got a job at a local bank, which she absolutely loved. She was offered a transfer to a larger town in southern Ontario, and it’s not certain why she turned it down. It could have had something to do with a tall, handsome, dark-haired ‘foreigner’ (from Cooks Creek, MB), Nicholas Kozicki, who was in town working on a construction project. Marion and her three best friends had been cruising the streets of Delhi on a weekend night, when they spotted Nick and his three friends coming out of a local diner. The eight struck up a conversation, Marion hooked up with Nick and that was that. Cupid had struck!

A few months later Marion left Delhi, took a train to northern Ontario to meet Nick and get married. They originally settled in Schreiber, then moved to Fort William (now Thunder Bay) where Karen Lee was born 15 months later. Another 16 months and Mary Louise entered the world in Terrace Bay. Then came Donna Gayle (now Karinna), born in Tillsonburg three years after, and finally, Laurie Anne popped out seven years later in Kapuskasing. Marion and Nick kept trying for a boy and it never happened, so they must have given up.

In the early 1960’s the family moved from Kapuskasing, ON to Calgary, AB. Three years later, Marion and Nick separated and a few years later Marion met Robert (Bob) Cannon, her second husband.

Once her eldest two had moved away from home and her youngest was well established in school, Marion decided to further her education and improve her skills, taking courses at a local college in Calgary. She then worked for a couple of businesses, mainly bookkeeping and office work. In a few more years she would be on the move again.

With two of her daughters, Karen and Karinna (then Donna), having moved to the Vancouver area several years earlier, in 1979 Marion and Bob also relocated to the West Coast. Laurie joined them, and a few years later, Mary Lou also decided on BC after living in Regina for 13 years (and South Africa for a short time).

As Marion progressed through her ‘golden’ years, she quietly slipped into the beginning stages of dementia. When she was no longer able to safely live on her own, she transitioned to assisted living and then into a nursing home in West Vancouver. This is where she spent her last years, and in true fashion, won over the hearts of all who cared for her. In fact, it was not uncommon for the care aides to take their breaks in her room, chatting and listening to music with her.

Marion’s southern Ontario Baptist roots were strong, and she practiced her faith quietly, never forcing it on others. She was open to others’ beliefs and faiths. She was baptized at Delhi First Baptist Church in 1938, in the same church that is pastored by her nephew Kevin, and from where part of the Zoom Celebration of Life Service will be streamed.

Among Marion’s strongest assets were her warmth, flexibility, love of life, contentment with her place in life, and acceptance of all others. She had a warm and open heart, liked all people she met, showed no favouritism, and was totally non-judgemental. Her closest friends ranged in age from her children’s ages to decades older than she was. Age didn’t mean anything, and she was convinced she’d live to over a hundred (she almost made it). She drew people to her, always welcoming them into her humble home. There are many stories of Marion’s chicklets’ friends (and even ex-boyfriends) dropping by to visit/play cards with her, not concerned about whether ‘their’ chicklet was home or not. If she lived one year for each person she called a friend, she could almost rival Methuselah!

Marion loved babies and animals. She would stop mothers on the street to admire a baby, and animals would be attracted to her like a magnet. Marion was kind and self-sacrificing, the strength of her family, always putting their needs before those of herself.

Her wisdom came from her experiences of life and with others. People would be naturally drawn to her for her accepting nature, comfort, guidance, or a listening ear. You knew you were in a safe place when you were in her company.

Marion loved family dinners and gatherings, and there were lots of them. She had a great sense of humour, loved to tell jokes, and play little tricks on people. She almost always had a twinkle in those amazing blue Whitehead eyes, and her wit was astonishing. Even during the last decade of declining health and dementia, the fog would part, and out would come a zinger that would catch everyone by surprise.

The rock of her family, our dear Mother Marion, is greatly missed and will be missed … always. We miss her kindness, intellect, humour, wit, strength, and loving nature. She was one of a kind and will always be remembered for the very special person she was. She is no doubt reuniting with family and friends in heaven, singing with the angels, telling jokes, and looking for a par-tee.

We love you Mom!

Your Family and your ‘Chicks’

A Zoom Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, June 4th at 3:00 pm Pacific time

(6:00 pm Eastern time), officiated by Pastor Kevin Babbey of Delhi First Baptist Church, Delhi, ON, and co-facilitated by Tom James, son-in-law, Vancouver. If you would like to join the Service please contact Mary Lou, Karinna or Laurie for the Zoom link.