Thomas Edward Cannon Jr.
Thomas Edward “Eddie” Cannon Jr., 93, of Bay Springs passed away March 3, 2024 at the Jasper General Nursing Home. He was born Dec. 3, 1930, in Antioch.
Visitation will be Tuesday, March 5, from 5-7 p.m. at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home of Bay Springs at 22 E. 4th Ave. in Bay Springs. The funeral service will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home burial will follow in Antioch Baptist Church cemetery in Louin. Brother Keith Bogan and Eric Williams will officiate. Colonial Chapel Funeral Home of Bay Springs is in charge of arrangements.
Eddie was the first-born child and paved the way for his four brothers and one sister to follow. Although they were poor, it taught him strong work ethics and the value of the dollar. On Saturday nights, he and his brothers would take their instruments to the dance hall and earn a little cash with their music and singing.
Eddie met the first love of his life, Myrlene Grayson, at a peanut boil in Louin. They were soon married and two sons and two daughters were born to this union. They experienced heartbreak when their second son died at the young age of 2. But being a man of courage and faith, he made it through this difficult time.
Eddie was a jack-of-all-trades. In 1962, he bought a farm near Stringer where he raised cattle and hogs, owned just about every farm animal there is and grew vegetable gardens. He could mend a fence, fix a roof and tinker on just about anything. Eddie loved his Lord and Savior and made sure his family was in church. Many nights, the children would fall asleep listening to him play his fiddle. As life went on, heartbreak struck again. After 40 years of marriage, he lost his wife.
But, God still had plans for him. Eddie met and married the second love of his life, Margie Jones Moss. Eddie retired as maintenance supervisor from NECO shortly after marrying Margie, but he didn’t go sit down in the recliner. There was still soil to till, seeds to plant, flowers to grow and music to play! With an extended family, he now twice as many children and grandchildren to teach and lead by example, just as he had done with his own children.
Eddie and Margie enjoyed traveling across the USA and even visited Alaska once. They would hook-up to their camper and travel to help build churches with the Masters Builders. At night, he would take out his fiddle and the music would begin.
Not only did Eddie play and sing with his own children and grandchildren, he sang and played across the surrounding counties with many other talented musicians. It’s easy to see why he was nicknamed “The Fiddle Man.”
Eddie loved life. He loved the outdoors. He loved fishing and could tell a whopper of a fish tale. He never met a stranger and would give the shirt off his back to someone in need. It would be hard to find a kinder, gentler, Christian man than Eddie Cannon.
On Sunday morning, March 3, 2024, Eddie received the greatest reward of his life. He went to be with his Lord and Savior in heaven. I’m sure if there’s a fiddle in heaven, he’s found it and singing his favorite song, “I’ll Be Somewhere Listening.”
To The Fiddle Man – “Till we meet again!”
He was preceded in death by his wife Myrlene Grayson Cannon; son Dan Cannon; father Thomas Edward Cannon Sr.; mother Lennie Woods Cannon; brothers Houston Cannon and Douglas Cannon.
Survivors include his wife Margie Cannon; son Tommy Cannon (Jean); daughters Carla Moore (Jerry) and Cindy Hill (Shawn); stepsons Neil Moss (Dena) and Ricky Moss (Ann); a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and other extended family members; brothers Bill Cannon (Kathy) and Louis Cannon (Linda); and sister Margaret James.
Pallbearers will be Cheston Cannon, Jason Cannon, J.T. McNair, Blake Moss, Dustin Moss, Mason Moss and Eric Williams.
An online guestbook may be signed at www.colonialchapelbaysprings.com.
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