Since I didn't get to do any significant yardwork last year I decided I was going to spend July getting the yard back in shape. July 1 and 2 was dedicated to the back corner which had become rather overgrown. I trimmed the rosemary, got rid of weeds and attacked the Bermuda grass which was taking over with a vengeance. Once particular batch of Bermuda grass required moving a few of the border rocks in order to find the source. I don't know who was more surprised, me or the snake. He was a harmless boop noodle and I accidentally rehomed him. My only consolation was that the corner really did look much better when I was done.
 |
| Before |
 |
| Before |
 |
| Cute, little boop noodle hiding under the rock |
 |
| I zoomed in so you can see how cute he was. |
 |
| After |
 |
| After - much better!! |
July 3 - Steve and Avian worked in the garage making the goblet forms with the lathe. Avian plays D&D with their friends at college and they wanted to make something fun for each one. Avian asked them each to design a goblet for each of their characters. These are going to be amazing. Stay tuned for the progress. Val spent the day with Mo
July 4 - More time in the garage working on the chalices for Steve and Avian. I worked on the grandma quilts for my client. That afternoon, Nick came out for dinner and fireworks. Just as we were sitting down to eat, Steve got a call from one of his siblings. His father had just passed due to complications from his kidney surgery. He had several blood clots that had gotten into his heart and had caused a heart attack. It wasn't unexpected, but it still was not the news we had wanted to hear. I was even more grateful for Steve being in Utah a couple of weeks prior and getting to see his Dad one last time. After dinner, we all piled into the truck and went in search of a great place to watch the fireworks in Harrisburg. Rick would have loved it. His favorite holiday was the 4th of July. Nick stayed the night
 |
| The moon with the cool clouds before the fireworks. |
 |
| Hanging in the back of Tyrone waiting for the fireworks to start. |
 |
| We had a great view of the fireworks, but the traffic lights got in the way of great pictures. |
 |
Babies!!!!
|
June 5 - Steve spent the day woodworking in the garage. It was his way of grieving and he wanted to be alone. Avian and I went thrifting. Nick went on a bike ride with the new tires on his bike and completed his whole route. That evening, Nick and Val went to see the new F1 movie and had a great time. Nick stayed the night again.
July 8 - It was tree trimming day. I stood in our bathtub and watched out the second story window. They really worked together to get all the big limbs cut and down safely. If you need your trees trimmed and live in the Charlotte/Mooresville area, call Monster Tree Service. They are good at what they do.
That evening, after talking with the siblings and getting a better idea of when the funeral would be and what we needed to get done, we decided to drive out. EllaRene had some things she wanted us to bring back, including the chair that goes with the roll top desk and some books, which would have been very expensive to ship. We decided to make it a little road trip and see some places we had never seen before. Let the planning begin.
July 9 - Avian and I went to the dentist. As we were pulling into the parking lot we saw Dr. Niedan and got to talk to him for a minute. I was hoping maybe he was coming back as a dentist, but he was a patient that day as well. It was good to see him and catch up for a minute before he got called back for his appointment. After our appointments, Avian and I Goodwill-hopped our way home in search of the perfect sweatshirt for a project Avian had in mind. Alas, we did not find a sweatshirt, but we did find some really cute tops for Val. Our last stop was Hobby Lobby to buy a sweatshirt and some dyes. Just when we got home there was a HUGE rainstorm. It was a very welcome respite from the heat.
 |
| Avian soaking it all in. It felt so nice and cool. |
July 11 - Steve and I took the O'Briens to the Soda Shoppe for dinner. It is a cute little diner with a 50s vibe. The food is really good, especially the fried pickles, and it is a great place to talk and eat. The music is not loud and the waitresses are super friendly. We always enjoy a night out with the O'Briens.
July 12 - Nick came up to ride his bike. He recently added new arm rests to his bike and he loved that he could go faster using them because he was more streamlined. He is training for a half Ironman and is taking it very seriously. It will be fun to watch him complete this goal.
July 14-15 we spent the days getting the house ready for our Aleena and Bryce's visit and also packing for our trip to Utah.
July 16 - We took a break from everything and went to see the new Superman movie . David Corenswet did an incredible job. He is now my second favorite actor who played Superman, second to the great Christopher Reeves. Everything about it was incredibly good.
July 17 - Aleena and Bryce arrived. We were all excited to meet Aleena's fiance. He did not disappoint. He was funny and courteous and polite. When I went to move Val's car, I noticed a warning light that was on and told Val she needed to get it checked out. We made plans for her to take it to the shop the following morning
July 18 - I am so glad Val listened and took her car in. It turned out that the catalytic converter was failing and needed to be replaced. The car would have to be in the shop until Monday, but at least we didn't have to worry about Val being stranded by the side of the road while we were a couple thousand miles away. That night we had a Chinese dinner and talked until it was time for Steve and I to go to bed. We needed to get some good sleep before starting on our journey the next morning.
July 19 - Steve and I were up bright and early and on the road by 6 am. Driving the stretch of I-40 just after Asheville, where the road completely washed out during Helene was an eye opener. Even with all the repairs that had been done, there was still so much more that needed to be done. One half of the highway was missing.
 |
| I love driving through the Smokey Mountains. |
 |
| They never disappoint. |
 |
| Beyond the cement barrier is what should have been the Westbound I-40 lanes and there is nothing. |
We stopped at the Bucc-ees in Sevierville and I was not prepared for the experience. Everything about this place is HUGE. I am not surprised that the chain originated in Texas. Everything in this place was super-sized - the parking lot, the gas pumps, the bathrooms, EVERYTHING. We bought some Beaver Nuggets and continued on our way.
 |
| and this is only half the store! |
There was another Bucc-ees closer to Nashville and we stopped for gas and to load up on Beaver Nuggets so we could take some to everyone in the family. We eventually made it to Memphis. We had some time before we could check into our hotel so we drove past Graceland. We would have gone on a tour, but it was too late in the day by the time we got there. I will go back and make sure to take a tour someday. It is still on my bucket list.
 |
You can almost see the house through the trees
|
We made our way to the hotel and got settled before heading out to find some dinner. Steve knew of a great BBQ place not to far from our hotel, called Rendezvous. We went there and had the most amazing BBQ for dinner. From the outside it didn't look like anything and it was down a little alley. Once you walked through the doors and went down the stairs, everything came to life. It had a kind of speakeasy feel to it and the food was A-MA-ZING! The ribs fell off the bone and slaw was truly Southern. So Good!!
We walked to Beale Street and I was not disappointed. I have always wanted to see Beale Street, especially after reading "If Beale Street Could Talk" in college, and knowing that Elvis had walked it. I was in Memphis!!! It was so cool. There was jazz music playing in every bar/restaurant and you could just walk in and listen. We saw the Orpheum Theater and BB King's restaurant. We even walked down to the Mississippi River and walked the waterfront. It was a dream come true. My condition for driving to Utah was to stop in places we had never been before. It was a little out of the way to stop in Memphis, but too close to not do it. I am so glad we did. It was one of the highlights of the trip for me.
 |
| Pinch me! I am really on Beale Street |
 |
| The Riverwalk area on the Mississippi River. The bridge in the distance takes you from Tennessee to Arkansas. |
We walked back to our hotel and slept very well that night. Meanwhile, back at home, Avian and guests had gone thrifting, out to dinner at Chilis and to a Broadway-themed rave. They had a blast.
July 20 - We were up early and on the road since we needed to get to Denver by the end of the day.
 |
| The Bass Pro store. Now Steve has a reason to come back to Memphis. |
 |
| Crossing over to Arkansas, mid-river. |
The Ozarks are really pretty. We stopped at a gas station on state line. It was fun to park in Arkansa and use the bathroom in Missouri. After this stop we drove to Ozark, Arkansas, to visit our friends, the Maughns, who had moved there several years back. Steve and Jeff would spend hours together making things from wood or talking about making things from wood or designing things from wood. We were sad to see their family move. It was amazing to see them again. Their girls have grown. Steve and Jeff picked up right where they left off. After leaving the Maughn's we only stopped for gas and brief stretch breaks the rest of the day. There were windmills everywhere on the western half of Arkansas.
That night after the sun went down, we were treated to a lightening show. All the windmills had red blinking lights on them to warn low-flying aircraft they were there and the effect was really cool. To make it even better, every time there was a flash of lightening, the windmills would eerily be illuminated for a second like white giants and then be banished back into darkness. It entertained us the rest of the way into Colorado. We made it to Denver at 11:30 p.m. We were exhausted after driving 1,100 miles in one day. I do not recommend it.
July 21 - We were up early and ready to complete the final leg of the journey. We had to stop in Johnstown, CO, at the Bucc-ees. We reloaded up on Beaver Nuggets to share with the family. Instead of taking the highway all the way into Laramie since it was rush hour, we found a way using backroads and it was a really pretty ride.
 |
| Much more relaxing than the main highway. |
 |
| And much prettier too! |
Once we reached Larmie, we headed west. There is NOTHING between Laramie and Rawlings, which was good to know for our return trip. Thank goodness for interesting rock formations to break up the monotony.
We stopped at Ft. Bridger to stretch our legs and learn a little something about history. It was fun to tour around the outpost.
 |
| A old carriage in the carriage house. |
 |
| I have missed the Quaking Aspen. |
 |
Showing Steve my "turn the camera upside down" cool perspective.
|
Once we got to Salt Lake City, we headed straight to EllaRene's house to check in with her, give her hugs, and find out what she needed from us over the next several days. On the way to Mom's house, we stopped at Papa Murphy's and picked up a pizza for dinner. When Mom tried to pay us for the pizza we told her that they were giving them out free. They were standing on the corner throwing them to cars like frisbees. She believed us for a half a second.
July 22 - We woke up, had breakfast with Mom, Steve did a little work, while Mom and I talked and did a puzzle and then Steve and I went to visit with Sharron. We had a little time to kill before seeing Sharron as she was still with her therapist so we drove past the house on Nantucket Drive. It always amazes me to drive along Nantucket Drive now that I am grown up. It felt like a vast universe when i was younger and now if feels so small. The house looked great, though, and it brought back a lot of memories. The visit with Sharron was really good. We took her to lunch at Millie's Burgers and then drove around and let her show us things along the ride. After we dropped Sharron off, we went to Seagull Book and Tape and then did some more visiting with family before heading back to Mom's for dinner. Mom and I watched her favorite renovation show while Steve wrote his talk for the funeral.
 |
| We have only ever seen the Taylorsville Temple from the freeway. It is stunning up close. |
 |
| Our favorite find at the Goodwill. |
Back at home, Avian worked on the chalices for their roommates and Nick went to New Jersey for more master mechanic classes.
July 23 - Steve made a quick trip to Walmart to find some shorts right after breakfast. Once he got back, I went to Laura's house to visit with her, Mark, Rachel and Ruby. We had a good time and I got to see Ruby in action, feeding Laura, Mark and Rachel the meal she prepared for them. Back at Mom's house, I spent some time with Jenny. I wasn't sure if Steve would need the truck, so Jenny offered to come to me. We had a blast sharing stories of what was going on currently and remembering some of the funny stories from the past. Next, I got to visit with Kathy and Shaun with the bonus of having Carole and Isabel there to spend the night. While I was doing all this, Steve went to lunch at Derran's house with his Mom, Bradden and Sean. He and Bradden left from there and went to dress their dad in his temple clothes. Steve said it was a good experience and it gave him time to say his goodbyes in private.
July 24 - After breakfast, Steve and I gave Mom a ride in Tyrone. We can't have brought him all this way and not taken Mom for a drive. We spent the day relaxing and preparing ourselves for the next two days. About 3 we left to help set up for the viewing. It was really amazing to have all 10 children in one room at the same time. That does not happen very often.
 |
| Ginger, Melonie, Dianna, Katrina, Sean, Steve, Bradden, Charlie, Tamara and Derran. |
 |
Rick and EllaRene loved to dress up and go out on the town.
|
 |
| The legacy that inspired 4 other young men to get their Eagles as well. |
 |
| Rick loved to go dancing with EllaRene and he was a voracious reader. |
 |
| One of Steve's fondest memories was playing basketball with his dad at the Deseret Gym. |
 |
| Rick was always fixing some thing. |
 |
| The last time Rick wore this coat was to attend Sage's concert. |
 |
| Gadys and Nudy were the main characters in stories Rick would tell the kids. They LOVED those stories. |
 |
| The obituary Dianna wrote |
 |
| The tribute Melonie wrote. |
 |
| Randy put together a great slide show that played the whole time during the viewing. |
 |
| This is EllaRene's favorite picture |
 |
| Rick loved his Oreos and flavored milk. |
Mark and Laura came to the viewing. I also got to see Kim Spek Miller and catch up a little bit with her. It was a great viewing and the family felt so loved by everyone that came to pay their respects.
July 25th - Funeral Day - We were up early to get everything packed up and ready for the day. It was a day filled with tears, laughs, memories and lots of love.
 |
| The sun shining on the mountains. This was our view driving to the funeral. |
 |
| Derran's tribute to his dad. This is a complete outfit from Rick's closet. |
 |
| The famous (and sometimes infamous) tree shirt. |
 |
Saying "goodbye" is never easy.
|
 |
| EllaRene picked out the flowers that went on the casket. |
The viewing was another time of healing for everyone. Shaun and Kathy brought Mom to the funeral and I got to introduce them around to all the Cannons. Joe, Rick's youngest brother, gave the blessing before they sealed the casket. The part of the prayer that really got me was when Joe thanked EllaRene for bringing Rick out of a deep depression and returning the happy and out going Rick. She is an amazing lady.
 |
| The funeral director was so good to make sure that all the grandkids got to help bring the casket into the chapel for the funeral. |
The funeral was a tribute to their father. Steve, Dianna and Melonie spoke and the talks were very heartfelt. All of the siblings sang "How Great Though Art" together. Sage, Katrina, Avery and Cole sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives". It was stunning. I have never heard Steve cry like that and it broke my heart. Derran gave the perfect prayer to close out the funeral. He broke down in his prayer and asked Heavenly Father to "Give Dad a big hug from us".
 |
| Core memory of the day for me. Tamara never left her mother's side. She was EllaRene's rock. |
I said a quick goodbye to Mom, Shaun and Kathy before we headed to the graveside service. EllaRene had packed popcicles for everyone since the day was very warm. Even in her grief she was thinking of others.
talks, sparklers, rootbeer and Dr. Pepper and oreos. Lunch back at the church. Said goodbyes
 |
| Derran in his second tribute outfit for the day. |
 |
| All the way down to the shoes. |
 |
| The siblings and grandkids helped bring the casket to the graveside. |
 |
| They then carried the casket the last few feet to it's final resting place. |
 |
| Bradden dedicated the grave |
Anyone who did not get to speak at the funeral was given a chance to say something. There were so many good stories told.
 |
| Maggie represented all the grandchildren. |
 |
| Melonie, Ginger and Katrina giving their dad a last salute with sparklers. Rick LOVED the 4th of July. |
 |
| Helping EllaRene light her own sparkler. |
 |
| Derran and Graham celebrating with their sparklers, just the way Rick would have wanted them to. |
 |
Hyrum having a Dr. Pepper in honor of Grandpa.
|
 |
| Derran and Bradden |
 |
| Sarah and Evan toasting with their Dr. Peppers |
 |
| The siblings and their cousins. |
 |
| All the grandkids (minus our three who could not attend) |
.jpg) |
| Sean, Steve, Bradden, Katrina, Ginger, Dianna, Charlie, Melonie, Tamara and Derran. One last picture with Dad. |
 |
| EllaRene's last tribute to her husband. |
 |
Steve, Ryan Broome and Bradden. Steve and Ryan were childhood friends.
|
 |
| Walking back to our cars after the graveside. |
Back at the church, EllaRene had arranged for a barbeque (Southern Style with pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans and slaw). Steve and I had a great time visiting with everyone while we ate. All too soon it was time for us to leave. We said our goodbyes to everyone and went back to Mom's house to finish packing up the truck before getting a head start on our drive home. I was a truly amazing day remembering Rick Cannon.
In Loving Memory
June 25, 1938–July 4, 2025
Salt Lake City, UT-Born on June 25, 1938, Richard Nelson Cannon arrived in the world with a sense of adventure and an impish glint in his brown eyes. Even when his dark hair turned white, he remained full of life and strength. Therefore, it was a surprise when Mr. Invincible passed away from a pulmonary embolism on July 4, 2025.
Rick grew up in Salt Lake City as the seventh child of John & Alice Cannon. He graduated from East High School, where he ran track and field. He earned his undergraduate and law degree from the University of Utah and served a mission for the LDS church to the Northwestern States.
He married Sharron Taylor in 1962 and they raised eight children: Dianna (Julie), Steve (Sarah), Melonie (James), Ginger, Katrina (Randy), Bradden (Sunny), Derran (Sarah), and Sean (Bryn). They later divorced. In 1995, he married Ella-Rene Searle, gaining two more children, Tamara (Phil) and Charles. They delighted in 27 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Rick was always in motion. He was strong and confident that his body would never fail him. He ran marathons, balanced babies on the palm of his hand and threw them in the air as if they were pizza dough. He jumped the gap between the Gemini Bridges, hiked yearly with his buddies in the Subway, climbed out of a flash flood with his son, and built pillow nests on the roof so we could watch fireworks. He loved the Weber Cabin -- making memories around campfires, card games, fishing, and laughter. He loved a good water fight, even if the hose was in the house or the neighbors called the police. He loved to wrestle in the living room, skip while holding hands, and play fox and geese (he was always the fox and we the screaming geese).
He taught us the names of the constellations, the birds, wildflowers, and trees. He had a green thumb and relished fresh peas and the "sweet 100" cherry tomatoes from his garden. He took every opportunity to dance with his wife, even if there was no music. He could draw and sculpt, but spent his career as a lawyer helping many people.
Rick was serious on Christmas Eve, but a laughing prankster every other day of the year. He was a conservative who didn't care for convention. A nudist who loved to dress in a three-piece suit and a Spartan who was happy to sleep on the ground in his army-issued mummy sleeping bag.
He loved the 4th of July, the Oakley Rodeo, homemade Root Beer, Oreos, and Banana Cream Pie. He may be the last man in the world who still carried a white cloth handkerchief. He boasted for years that he would live to 120. He said cancer wouldn't kill him. It didn't.
He enjoyed missionary service with his wife, Ella-Rene. They served in the Sandy Bishop Storehouse; Moldova; Ukraine, and China. His faith was the foundation of his life. The number of homeless people he fed and the number of hitchhikers he picked up, can't be counted. Neither can the number of people he talked to everywhere he went. Richard Cannon knew no strangers
He is preceded in death by his parents John and Alice; his siblings, Elaine, John, Leonora and Ruth. He is survived by his devoted wife Ella-Rene, his children and siblings, Alice, Anne and Joseph. Viewing: 7/24/25 - 6-8pm. Funeral: 7/25/25 - 11 am (10 am viewing prior) at the LDS Church, 12830 S. 2700 W., Riverton, UT.
We got Tyrone all loaded up with our things, said goodbye to Mom and headed out. We wanted to make it to Rawlins, WY, for the night. This would give us a good head start on our drive home.
 |
| Rockport Reservoir. So many happy memories water skiing here as a youth for both me and Steve. |
 |
| Back into Wyoming. |
 |
| The windmills were everywhere and the road stretched on for miles! |
 |
| The windmills were actually quite peaceful to watch |
 |
| Cool clouds |
 |
| The last of the mountains before a LONG stretch of flat. |
We made it to Rawlins and got a good night sleep before another day filled with adventure.
July 26th - It was Steve's birthday and there were a few things he wanted to do. We started by visiting the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historical Site in Laramie. Steve has always been a Butch Cassidy fan and the last time we stopped here was when we were driving Steve to his internship in Nashville right out of grad school. It was time to stop and explore again.  |
| The occasional rock formation to break up the flat. |
We drove for a bit and decided to take a break when Steve saw the sign for the Cabella's headquarters in Sidney, NE. We were stopped at the end of the off ramp waiting to turn when we got rear ended. There was no damage to Tyrone other than the OBX tailgate cover got smashed. The other dude's car grill was completed destroyed. He got out and started telling me a sob story about how he had lost a bunch of weight and none of his clothes fit anymore, including his shoes, and that is why his foot slipped off the brake pedal. I just stared at him without smiling. This short stop had turned into the one thing I was fearful of during the whole drive - an accident. Looking back on it now, it wasn't all that bad, but still. Someone hurt Tyrone and I was NOT happy about it. We still decided to stop at Cabellas to walk off the frustration and have some fun.  |
| It's an elephant. You cannot tell from this distance, but it is life size. |
 |
| Driving in Nebraska is corn field, corn field, pond, corn field, corn field, pond. |
After several more hours of driving, we was a sign for an antique shop and had to stop. It was a cool little store and the owners were very nice. We didn't stay long because it was closing time for them. For his birthday, Steve wanted Chinese food, so I Googled to find a Chinese restaurant near us. I was pleasantly surprised to find that we were only two exits away ----
 |
| Driving for 20 miles on tiny backroads through fields of corn |
We eventually got to Hasting, NE, which is a small college town and found the most excellent Ninja Steak and Sushi House. The food was the perfect way to celebrate Steve's birthday. We got a hotel in Hasting and decided to call it a night after surviving driving across Wyoming and most of Nebraska.
 |
| Enjoying a nice meal after a long day of driving. |
July 27 - We were up early and after a short drive where FINALLY out of Nebraska. We crossed the corner of Iowa and then entered Missouri. Of course we had to stop at the Jesse James Antique Mall.
 |
| The scenery is starting to change!! |
Our next stop was Hannibal, MO. As soon as we got out of the truck, the humidity hit like a big, wet hug. It was 104 degrees and high humidity. We had missed it. We stopped at Becky's Old Fashioned Ice Cream and gift shop for some sherbet and then took a walk along the train tracks. There were several antique shops along main street in Hannibal that were fun to explore.
 |
| Main Street in Hannibal, MO. |
Driving out of Hannibal we saw something AMAZING and had to stop for pictures!!
 |
| Optimus Prime - all made from real car parts. |
 |
| There was a Bumblebee, too!! |
 |
| Real car parts. So cool!! |
We Zoomed with Mom while we drove and that was a great way to pass some time while on the road. By evening we were in St. Louis and decided to stop for dinner. I want it on the record that East Coast Pizza in St. Louis is the best pizza I have ever eaten!!
 |
| Driving past the St. Louis Temple. |
 |
| The St. Louis Arch. We did not have time to stop and explore it this trip. |
 |
| Crossing the Mississippi River. We are finally east of the Mississippi. |
We got to Evansville, IN, before calling it a day. It was nice to have a soft place to sleep for the night, but it will be even nicer to be in our own bed!! One more day!
July 28 - We were on the final stretch toward Home. One day of travel left.
 |
| Crossing the Ohio River into Kentucky. |
My Google always finds the most interesting and fun ways to get from point A to point B. We ended up on some tiny and very winding roads to get us to I-40. I am not complaining. These roads took us through some of the most beautiful country.
We stopped at both of the Bucc-ees along I-40 so we could pick up some Beaver Nuggets and shirts for the kids. In Tennessee, Tyrone got a power-washing in a HEAVY rainstorm. We also missed the rainstorms while we were gone.
 |
| Back in North Carolina!! |
Steve wanted to stop at his favorite Antiques Mall in Waynesville. I had never been before and it was a truly fantastic place. They had a little of everything and it was like walking down memory lane.
 |
| Steve in his happy place. |
After another short couple of hours we were finally home. Avian had dinner ready for us when we walked in the door and it was nice to have home-cooked meal after three and a half days on the road. It was good to be home.
July 29 - I got an early morning call from Kathy. Mom had pushed her EMS button and the paramedics were working on her. I really thought I was going to be on a plane going back to Salt Lake by the end of the day, but, THANK GOODNESS, it ended up being a really bad case of vertigo. Shaun and Kathy took her to the hospital to be checked out. I went to help out at band camp during the day while waiting to hear back from Kathy about how Mom was doing. It was really fun to see the new band director, Mr. Austenfeld, working with the kids. They already really liked him and were having a good time at camp. Steve found out that he was getting a raise during his annual review. Eventually I got the call that Mom was at home and resting. The sisters were going to take turns staying with her until she was back on her feet and steady. Kathy said that Mom's balance was really off and it would be awhile before she was steady. She needed to go to the balance clinic and a therapist to work on getting her balance back.
July 30 - Mom was up and moving around with a walker which was good to hear. My mom is not the type that likes to be down for long. I mowed the lawn and weeded the gardens to keep my mind busy. Steve got a lot done at work as well. The HIGHLIGHT of the day - The Cat's Meow is available for next year the week after July 4th. We immediately booked it so we have something to look forward to next summer. We needed it after the month we just had!!
.jpg)
