Ronald Martin Canon, PhD
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Ronald Martin Canon, PhD, age 73, passed away on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 from complications of Alzheimer's Disease. Ron is survived by his beloved and devoted wife of 54 years, Mary Alice Canon; sons and daughters-in-law Jeff and Mollie Canon, Jason and Pamela Canon; daughter and son-in-law Rachel and David Holland; grandchildren, Nick Canon (Christan), Kayla Miller (Cody), Hunter Canon, Alex and Leah Canon, Callie and Ryan Holland, Daniel and Emilie Belisle; great-grandchildren, Canon and Camilla Miller, Holden, Jonas and Lyra Canon; sister Edith Wallace (Morris); mother-in-law Phoebe Freeman, Paducah, KY; sister-in-law Pattie Hurd (Mike); Aunt Margaret Mayhew; cousins, nieces and nephew.
Ron, the son of Charles "Chick" and Mary Edith (Lax) Canon, was an alumnus of Reidland High School in Paducah, KY where he played basketball for the Greyhounds. He then went on to the University of Missouri-Rolla where he completed his Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD degrees in Chemical Engineering. It was in the midst of his Master's program he completed a 2 year tour in South Vietnam as a member of the United States Army in the 101st Airborne Infantry Division. Shortly after completion of his PhD in 1974, the family packed up and left Rolla for East Tennessee and a job at Oak Ridge National Laboratory where he worked in various roles until his retirement in 2004. Among his career accomplishments was the recognition of an IR-100 Award in 1978. Ron then worked for Pro2Serve in Oak Ridge until his ultimate retirement in 2012.
A Celebration of His life will be held at Click Funeral Home Middlebrook Chapel at 9020 Middlebrook Pike, in Knoxville, TN on Sunday, October 18, 2020. The family will welcome friends from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm, with a service to follow at 3:30 pm. He will then be laid to rest in a private ceremony at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on Tuesday, October 20, 2020 with full Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of Ron Canon to an Alzheimer's Organization of your choice to help better understand, treat, and eradicate this disease. The family also invites friends and family to share memories and sign the guestbook at www.clickfh.com.