William Burton Cannon

CANNON, WILLIAM BURTON (1922~2001) William Burton "Bill" Cannon, Jr. was born in Greenville, Mississippi on July 15, 1922, to William Burton Cannon, Sr. and Lillian Ione Lawson. After leaving Mississippi, the Cannon's settled in Alexandria, Louisiana, where Cannon played quarterback for the local high school. After graduating, Cannon attended Memphis State, where he played quarterback on the freshman team.

During World War II, Cannon joined the Air Force and served as a pilot, where he flew transport planes from Europe to Egypt. After leaving the service, Cannon entered law school at the University of Houston and the Air Force Reserve, where he served for twenty-one years and attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

After law school, Cannon worked as an assistant attorney for the City of Houston in the 1950s and 60s, and then entered private practice. From 1970 to 1982, Cannon served as an associate judge in the Harris County Probate Courts, before winning a seat on the 14th Court of Appeals. Cannon served two full terms, twelve years, before retiring.

An avid sports fan and outdoorsman, Cannon held season tickets to the University of Houston football games and fished at his weekend home in Galveston. Judge Cannon passed away on August 8, 2001, and was buried in the Texas State Cemetery three days later.

Information taken from obituary, Houston Chronicle, August 10, 2001, and "Judge Bill Cannon, 79, on court for 12 years," Houston Chronicle, August 11, 2001.