MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2018 1st Extraordinary Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Younger, Burton, Bryan, Dearing, Gollott

Senate Resolution 2

A RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMENDING THE LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICE OF FORMER STATE SENATOR AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE DR. WILLIAM "BILL" CANON OF COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI, AND EXPRESSING THE SYMPATHY OF THE SENATE.

     WHEREAS, the Legislature and the State of Mississippi lost a friend, colleague and enlightened lawmaker with the death of former State Senator and State Representative Dr. William W. (Bill) Canon of Columbus, Mississippi, on July 28, 2018.  At the time of Senator Canon's retirement in 2003 he was the "Dean of the Senate"; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Canon was born on December 31, 1930, in Vaiden, Mississippi, to the late Jesse Lee Canon and Marilla Vail Canon.  His parents operated a farm, where he resided during his childhood years.  Dr. Canon was active in the Boy Scouts and in the 4-H Club.  He was a National 4-H Club winner and an Eagle Scout.  Dr. Canon was President of the Vaiden Club and also served as President of the Junior County Council.  Dr. Canon graduated from Vaiden High School in 1948 and entered Mississippi State University.  He finished pre-veterinary work in 1950 and spent the next four years at Auburn University obtaining his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree in 1954.  Dr. Canon interned at the William Greene Animal Clinic in Nashville, Tennessee, and practiced there for a year after graduating from Auburn.  He moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and worked with Belview Animal Clinic in 1956.  In 1956, Dr. Canon entered the United States Department of Agriculture in the Poultry Inspection Division.  He entered active duty with the United States Air Force in 1957 and later entered the Air Force Reserve serving as a Lieutenant Colonel, Staff Officer and Liaison Officer to the Veterinary Department at Mississippi State University; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Canon married Maxine Godwin Buckingham in 1959 having met at Columbus Air Force Base and moved to Washington State.  He moved back to Columbus in 1960 with his wife and two children, Margie Canon and Linda Margaret Buckingham Durand.  In June 1960, Dr. Canon became associated with the veterinary practice of Dr. E.C. Bozeman in Columbus, Mississippi.  Doctors S.E. Wilcox (Auburn 1972) and Cecil Boswell (Auburn 1976) were later associates in the practice; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Canon had been active in the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) since his graduation from Veterinary College.  He served as President of MVMA from 1983-1984.  In 1989, he received the Veterinarian of the Year Award; and

     WHEREAS, from 1976 to 1979, Dr. Canon served in the Mississippi House of Representatives.  In 1979, he was elected to the Mississippi State Senate.  Dr. Canon retired from the Legislature in 2003; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Canon was appointed to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (PEER Committee) in December 1990, served as Chairman, Vice Chairman or Secretary of this legislative investigative group for 10 of the 12 years he served, and was the only legislator elected as Chairman of the PEER Committee four times in the 30-year history of the committee.  As Chairman, Senator Canon guided the PEER Committee through deliberations on wide-ranging subjects.  Through it all, Senator Canon never missed an opportunity to enliven the most serious debate with his boundless wit and charm; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Canon was former Chairman of the Senate Public Utilities Committee, the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee and the Senate County Affairs Committee; and in his many years in the Senate, he served with distinction on practically every Senate Committee, this committee experience representing substantial legislative influence; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Canon was particularly knowledgeable of health licensure issues, utilizing his professional background, and was responsible for handling numerous licensure bills in the Senate Public Health Committee.  He was a champion of open government, consistently expressing the belief that fees on the public for governmental services were no different than taxes and should be considered as such; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Canon was the backbone of church, civic and economic development efforts across his district; was a Methodist, Mason, Shriner, Odd Fellow and ATO; and was active in the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Mississippi State University Alumni Association, Kiwanis, the Columbus-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, and the Air Force Association; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Canon is survived by his daughters, Marjorie "Margie" Canon of Columbus, Mississippi, and Linda Margaret Durand of Greenwood, Mississippi; and grandchild, Robin Durand of New Orleans, Louisiana; and

     WHEREAS, Senator Canon served with distinction and the members of the Legislature will miss his humor, experience, constructive leadership and friendship, and we wish to express sincere appreciation to Senator Canon's family for sharing him with us:

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby mourn the loss and commend the life and public service of former State Senator and State Representative Dr. William "Bill" Canon of Columbus, Mississippi, and express to his surviving family the sympathy of the Senate on his passing.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of former Senator and Representative Bill Canon and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.