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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Stephen "Steve" Cannon, who passed away
4on September 17, 2015; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Steve Cannon was born on October 28, 1940 to
6Dorothy (nee Seymour) Dalbey and Leland Cannon and was raised
7on a farm in Oakwood; he was married to Sherry (nee Downing)
8Cannon for 29 years; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Steve Cannon attended the University of Illinois
10for a semester before joining his brothers as a licensed barber
11in Danville for 50 years and operating his own barbershop; he
12also was involved in the insurance business for 30 years,
13eventually developing a niche in auto racing liability
14insurance; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Steve Cannon joined the Danville Fire Department
16in 1968, serving the community for 29 years; he was named
17Firefighter of the Year, served as union president, and
18achieved the rank of Lieutenant; he was active in politics as a
19staunch Democrat in Vermilion County; he was elected twice as
20Chairman of the Vermilion County Board of Review; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Steve Cannon's true passion always was auto

 

 

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1racing; he began racing Modifieds in the early 1960s, even
2building his own cars, and was a natural talent both
3mechanically and behind the wheel; he advanced to the United
4States Auto Club (USAC) ranks in 1969, driving Midgets,
5Sprints, and Silver Crowns; he had 21 USAC Midget victories and
612 track records in only 219 career starts, placing him 22nd on
7the all-time USAC wins list; he finished in the USAC Midget Top
810 in point standings on 4 occasions, running only half (or
9fewer) of the races during these seasons; he was the 1974 USAC
10Indoor Midget Champion; he tallied 10 Top 10 finishes in only
1131 Silver Crown starts and was the winner of a 50-mile Open
12Competition Sprint Feature on the Springfield Mile in 1971; he
13was recently nominated for the National Midget Auto Racing Hall
14of Fame; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Steve Cannon was an avid sports fan; he loved
16attending Illini football and basketball games with his friends
17and family; he played in a tennis league and enjoyed watching
18it on TV; he played pool with his friends around Danville and
19was a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Steve Cannon was preceded in death by his father;
21his brother, Larry Cannon; his stepfather, Frank Dalbey; and
22his uncles, Kenneth and Hubert Seymour; and
 
23    WHEREAS, Steve Cannon is survived by his mother, Dorothy

 

 

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1Dalbey; his wife, Sherry; his daughter, Pamela Lynn
2Cannon-Garcia (Michael); his son, Stephen Alan Cannon, Jr.; his
3grandchildren, Chloe Marie Garcia and Cannon Michael Garcia;
4his brother, Mikel Cannon (Mary Kay); his aunt, Ida Belle
5(Seymour) Condon; his nieces, Jodie, Jill, Christine, and
6Cathi; and many cousins and close friends; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
8ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
9Stephen "Steve" Cannon, and extend our sincere condolences to
10his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
11further
 
12    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13presented to the family of Stephen Cannon as an expression of
14our deepest sympathy.