Helen Cannon Stitt Obituary (1922 - 2013)

Salt Lake City, UT-Helen Geneve Cannon Stitt, a "zealous little Mormon girl" and beloved mother, wife, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away peacefully on February 25, 2013, surrounded by her family. Helen was born September 4, 1922 in Ogden, Utah to William Tenney Jr. and Geneve Ida Anderson Cannon. Helen grew up in Salt Lake and graduated from South High. She attended the University of Utah and loved her Delta Gamma Sorority girls and her Spurs team. On a whim, Helen moved to San Francisco and ended up on a blind date with a handsome young US Navy ensign and college graduate who was working for Westinghouse, Carlyle Benjamin Stitt. They fell in love and were married May 2, 1944 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They followed Carl's officer training to New York, Maine and Boston. They spent about 20 years in California before moving back to Salt Lake. She and Carl raised four children: Patricia Lynn, Gregory Carlyle, Anita Carleen and Roger Benjamin. They loved traveling to the Snake River Valley and to Yellowstone. Helen was a woman of patience and faith and had a great testimony of the Plan of Salvation. Her son, Greg, was killed in the Vietnam War in August 1970 and four years later, Helen lost her sweetheart Carl on August 16, 1974. Helen was of the Cannon blood through and through and loved her pioneer heritage. She was always faithful in the LDS Church and was an active member of the Union Fort 7th Ward. Helen served as a Junior Gleaner leader, ward budget dinner coordinator, Young Women leader, Relief Society presidency first counselor and visiting teacher. Helen was also a walking member-missionary and shared the gospel with everyone she met from the grocery store clerk to the hair dresser. She served in the Tennessee mission from 1981-1982 and dearly loved her companions and the people she met and taught. Her other missions included: hostess in the Beehive House, Temple Square guide, member location, two missions in the Family History Library and two missions in the Church Office Building. Her love for the gospel was reflected in everything she did and said and every person she ever met felt that love. Helen was an ardent supporter of the arts. She starred in the production "Promised Valley" and sang for many years in the Jay Welch Chorale. She also loved acting. She worked as an extra for several shows of "Touched By an Angel" and her claim to fame was her appearance in "Dumb and Dumber." She is survived by her children: Patricia (Jerry) Koberlein of Salt Lake; Carleen (Michael) Bennett of Vancouver, Washington; Roger (Leslie) Stitt of Huntsville, Utah; her 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; her brothers Russ (Marilyn) Cannon and Bill (Pat) Cannon and her brother-in-law Don Hacking. She is preceded in death by her husband Carl, her son, Greg, her sister Sally Winters Hacking, and her parents. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 11:00 am at the Union Fort 7th Ward at 6770 South 500 East Midvale. Viewings will be held Friday, March 1, from 6-8 pm at the Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary, 4760 S. State, and 10-10:45 am on Saturday at the Church, prior to services. Internment: Valley View Memorial Park. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.jenkins-soffe.com. Helen would be honored if donations went to Primary Children's Medical Center or the LDS Church General Missionary Fund.