Jasper Wayne Cannon, 58, of Simpsonville, S.C. passed away on Thursday, November 9, 2023. He was born at Lenoir Hospital in Kinston, NC, and was the son of the late Jasper “Jack” Cannon and Grace Angela Wethington.  

Wayne grew up in the St. John’s community near Grifton, North Carolina. He attended Grifton School and graduated from Ayden-Grifton High School in 1983. After high school, Wayne went on to serve in the U.S. Army. He completed basic training in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He later went to Fort Sam Houston, Texas for his MOS training as a Pharmacy Technician. He served at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, until his honorable discharge in 1987. 

Wayne continued his education at Beaufort Community College and earned a degree as a Medical Laboratory Technologist in 1988. He worked in Hematology and the Blood Bank at Pitt County Memorial Hospital. He later graduated from Pitt Community College as a Registered Nurse in 1994. He continued his career at the hospital in the Emergency Room and later in the Coronary Intensive Care Unit. 

Wayne was a lifelong learner and a person of diverse interests. He graduated with honors from North Carolina Wesleyan College, in Criminology and Psychology in 2017. He also earned his master’s degree in clinical psychology in 2020. He sought to use his education and background as a Peer Support Specialist and Educator at several institutions in North Carolina and South Carolina.  

He enjoyed art, art history, and oil painting when he was not in school or working. He was a prolific artist who painted until his last hours. His departure was sudden, but friends and family are comforted that he is at peace. 

Wayne is survived by his daughter, Chloe Cannon, of Greenville, siblings, Dawn (Tom) Long, of Bryn Mawr, PA, and Joe Cannon and Karyn Reese, of Wirtz, VA; nieces and nephews, Jamie, Becky, Daniel, Andrew, Claire, Gavin, and Owen. Other family include Uncle Skookie & Aunt Jo-Ann White of Vanceboro, NC, and Uncle Floyd Cannon of Ayden, NC. 

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Grace Cannon, grandparents, Dan and Elma Wethington, and Joseph and Nannie Ruth Cannon. 

A Memorial Service will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Grifton, North Carolina on December 30th, 2023 from 3:00 - 5:00 pm.   

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Chloe Cannon at Ever Loved. 

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/jasper-cannon/obituary/

Copy