Final Salute

Jesse Cannon passed away on Saturday, February 13th, 2021 following a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Mary Appleby Cannon, and daughters Jessika Cannon Zaccherio (Chris), and Mattie Claire Cannon-McKinney (Sean), a sister, Carol Naquin, two brothers, James L. Cannon and Jeffrey J. Cannon (Jill). Additionally, he is survived by his sisters-in-law Caroline Costanza (Neil) and Christine Appleby, brother-in-law Phillip Appleby, and nephew Peter Costanza. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jesse Dees Cannon and Carmella Paradiso Cannon. Jesse was born in the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia, the first son of a 30-year active duty career Navy officer. He lived in five locations by the age of nine. Jesse joined the Navy Reserve on his 17th birthday, while still in high school, as an E-1 (the lowest enlisted rank in the Navy). After spending one year at Old Dominion College in Norfolk, VA, he enrolled in the School of Architecture at Louisiana State University in 1967. As a proud Navy Seabee, Jesse was activated while in school under a Presidential Recall. He served in Da Nang, Vietnam in 1968 with Reserve Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 22 and then was honorably discharged in March 1969. He resumed his studies at LSU that year, receiving a Bachelor of Architecture in 1972. By then he had attained the rank of Engineering Aide First Class (E-6). Additionally, Jesse earned a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning in 1991 from the University of New Orleans. Always one to press the envelope of leadership and service, Jesse applied to become an officer in the Navy Reserve and was commissioned as an Ensign (0-1, the lowest officer rank in the Navy) in 1974. He continued his Navy Reserve career for 30 years in the Civil Engineer Corps, retiring in 2004 as a Captain (0-6) with 40 years of accumulated service. His awards and decorations include: Meritorious Service Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal with device, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy “E” Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Action, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal w/ 1960’s device. Jesse was active in the lives of his children, attending numerous gymnastic events with Jessika and innumerable volleyball games with Mattie. One of the greatest joys in his life was coming home from travel to receive unconditional hugs and kisses from Jessika and Mattie when they were children. He often told others there was no greater feeling a parent could experience. Jesse had his own private architectural practice from 1982 to 1987. However, his greatest professional achievement was as the first United States Courts Circuit Architect in 1987. He established a strategic vision and leadership that set the course to shape a national model for courthouse construction that transformed the judiciary and his peers. Jesse was at ground zero for the start of the modern federal courthouse construction program that has continued for more than 25 years. The Fifth Circuit was on the leading edge of a national agenda projected to build 160 new courthouses at a cost of $15 billion under the most ambitious federal building endeavor since the 1935 Works Progress Administration plan. Selected by the Fifth Circuit (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi) in 1987 to be its advocate, advisor, and technical representative on all court projects, Jesse was immediately responsible to establish, organize, and direct a courthouse design and construction program for the circuit that also would be a model on the national stage for other circuits. Applying his private practice experience and leadership skills in a unique, ground-breaking opportunity, the program proved successful, which opened the door for a generation of government architects to serve the Judiciary on a national platform. As a result of his portfolio of work over his career with the U.S. Courts, Jesse was selected in 2013 by a jury of his peers to be elevated as a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects. Fellows are recognized with AIA’s highest membership honor for their exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society. Fellows have made significant impacts to the profession and society and exemplify architectural excellence. Only 3 percent of the AIA members have this distinction of becoming Fellows. Jesse was President of AIA Louisiana in 2019, President-Elect of AIA Louisiana in 2018, a founding member of the New Orleans Architecture Foundation (2015), Chairman of the Louisiana Architecture Foundation (2016-2018), a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), a life member of the Seabee Memorial Foundation, a Life Member of the Military Officers Association of America, a member of the Naval Reserve Association, and many other professional and service organizations. Jesse was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lakeview for more than 25 years, serving on the Church Vestry as Junior and Senior Wardens twice and also as a trustee to St. Paul’s Episcopal School twice. The family thanks the excellent doctors who provided Jesse with superb care, especially Dr. Jayne Gurtler, her nurses and support staff Sheila, Jacquelyn, Terri and Ashley. The medical team did so much to keep Jesse with his family in an exceptionally high quality of life. The family also thanks all of Jesse’s friends and colleagues who checked on him frequently or just called to say hello. They provided a strong emotional base throughout the treatment process. A special appreciation goes to Don, David, and Jim, who provided Jesse with rides to and from chemotherapy. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Lakeview on Saturday, March 27th, 2021 at 10am. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the organization of your choice: Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (https://www.pancan.org/), The Louisiana Architecture Foundation (https://www.louisianaarchitecture.org/donate), Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 8973, New Orleans (https://www.nolavfw8973.org), and the Seabee Memorial Foundation (https://seabeehf.org/support).

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