Nelson 'Wayne' Cannon, 65

BEAR - Nelson "Wayne" Cannon, of Bear and Ocean View, passed away in his home on Thursday, March 26, 2009, of cancer, the disease that took his body but never touched his faith in God. He was 65. A native Delawarean, Wayne was born on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 1944, son of the late Nelson Stuart Cannon and Hazel Rust Cannon. He graduated from Bridgeville High School, Wesley College, University of Delaware, and the University of Virginia Graduate School of Retail Bank Management. Wayne was a Vice President of Personal Credit Policy and Administration for Wilmington Trust Company, retiring in 2007 after 40 years of service. He served in the Delaware Army National Guard Headquarters & Headquarters Company 198 Signal Battalion from 1966 to 1972. Wayne was a member of Bethany Baptist Church for 37 years, serving as Church Treasurer, Deacon, Trustee, Chairman of the Budget & Stewardship Committee, and recently Chairman of the Pastor Search Committee. He was President of the Estates of Red Lion Maintenance Corporation. He loved reading his Bible, gardening, history, politics and genealogy. Wayne was very proud of his genealogy findings, especially the fact that his early roots go back to the 1600's in Crisfield, Md., with the Accohannock Indian Tribe, one of the tribes of the Powhatan Indian Confederacy. He dearly loved his cat, Ossie and his faithful dog, Shadow. He is survived by his devoted wife of 41 years, Barbara Raushi Cannon; his daughter, Joanelle Lunger and her husband Brian of Newark; and six month old granddaughter, Katelyn Rose Lunger. A visitation for family and friends will be held at Beeson Funeral Home of Newark, 2053 Pulaski Highway, (Foxrun) on Sunday, from 4 to 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at Bethany Baptist Church on Monday at noon. Interment will be in Gracelawn Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Bethany Baptist Church, 410 Denver Road, Wilmington, DE 19804 and The Delaware Humane society, 701 A St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Condolences may be made by via www.griecofuneralhomes.com.