Obituary of Rhette McClam Cannon

?That you may not grieve as others do who have no hope? 1 Thessalonians 4:13 A graveside funeral service for Rhette Coleen McClam Cannon, 89, will be held at 11:30AM on Saturday, May 5th at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Columbia, SC. The family will receive friends from 10:00AM to 11:30AM at Greenlawn Funeral Home, 845 Leesburg Rd, Columbia, SC, 29209. Mrs. Cannon died April 28, 2012. Born on February 15, 1923, in Motts Township, Florence County, South Carolina, she was the daughter of Olive Ozela Cockfield McClam Cusack and Rhett Colin McClam. Her father passed away before her birth and she was blessed to have been reared by a loving step-father, Charles Proctor Cusack. Mrs. Cannon graduated from Florence Business College in 1941 and moved to Arlington, Virginia, to work for the US Treasury Department. While there, she married a handsome young Army officer, Clinton Carlisle Cannon, Jr., who hailed from Johnsonville, SC. This love of her life took her to many places around the world until he finally retired to Columbia, SC in 1965, where they spent their remaining years. Clint and Rhette were married 65 years. Rhette was a loving and giving mother, who doted on her husband, children and grandchildren. She was an exceptional cook and was always plying her family with great meals and treats. She loved coffee and conversation, especially when shared with loved ones. Rhette enjoyed a good laugh and laughed heartiest when the joke was on her. She will be so very missed by her family. Surviving are her children, Barry Cannon, Mark Cannon and his wife June, and Susan Cannon Robnett and her husband Mark; grandchildren, Stephen Robnett, Clinton Cannon, Laurie Robnett Shoemaker and her husband Jeruid, Katherine Cannon, and Timothy Robnett; and great-grandchild, Elijah Shoemaker. In addition to her father, step-father, mother and husband, Mrs. Cannon was preceded in death by her sister, Deloris McClam, and her brother, Charles P. Cusack, Jr. The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Dr. Jeff Hook and his staff at Midlands Internal Medicine for their expert care of Rhette over many years and to the staff of Agape Senior Care-Leaphart Rd. for the compassion they showed her for the past four years. Gratitude also goes to Sandy Hurst, a faithful friend who visited Rhette regularly. Memorials may be made to Bless China International (www.blesschina.org) or to Samaritan's Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org). Please sign the online guest book at www.greenlawn-columbia.com.