Known for her influential contributions to historical preservation in North Carolina, she played a significant role in restoring landmarks, promoting the arts, and supporting educational initiatives.

[1] She graduated summa cum laude from Greensboro College in 1911 with a degree in history, marking the beginning of a lifelong passion for the subject.

[1] Together, they raised four children, including Charles Albert Cannon Jr., who died during World War II while piloting a plane over Burma.

The combined proceeds from Cannon's garden club donor book came up with the $9,000 needed to purchase the palace's impressive wrought-iron gates.

She held leadership roles in numerous historical and patriotic organizations, including: Locally, she restored the Stirewalt-built house in west Kannapolis, known as "For Pity’s Sake," which became a venue for community and civic events.