Funeral director. Established the C. P. Bannon Mortuary at 6800 E. 14th Street (now International Blvd.), Oakland, California in 1926. He started out as a master pattern-maker in Philadelphia. After relocating to California he was superintendent of Hendy Iron Works in Sunnyvale. He also taught night school and was a district school trustee. He also operated a machine business in San Francisco and was associated with the General Metals Corp. After coming to Oakland he developed a circle of friends, one of whom was a funeral director. During the influenza epidemic of 1918, the mortician asked Bannon to help out. Mr. Bannon acquired a little candy store building on the site where the funeral home stands today, dismantled it and started construction. The rambling two story building has 3 air conditioned chapels and 4 slumber rooms. The wall of one of the large chapels is of plate glass from floor to ceiling and attendees can look out on a cloistered garden complete with waterfalls, a miniature forest and flowers. A family business, his 5 daughters (all deceased) operated the firm after his death. Dorothy became president, Katherine who once was a theater organist, presides at either of the two pipe organs, Anna was a receptionist and Evelyn was the office manager and did cosmetic work. Dorothy recalls occasions where 7 or 8 services were held in one day. They handled the service of the father of Max Baer, heavyweight boxing champion in 1959. She also commented that the funeral field was undergoing changes (1988), but that their business pretty much remained traditional, with full scale funerals and massive quantities of flowers. The funeral home is now owned by Service Corporation International and handles primarily black families. It is still a lovely facility.
Funeral director. Established the C. P. Bannon Mortuary at 6800 E. 14th Street (now International Blvd.), Oakland, California in 1926. He started out as a master pattern-maker in Philadelphia. After relocating to California he was superintendent of Hendy Iron Works in Sunnyvale. He also taught night school and was a district school trustee. He also operated a machine business in San Francisco and was associated with the General Metals Corp. After coming to Oakland he developed a circle of friends, one of whom was a funeral director. During the influenza epidemic of 1918, the mortician asked Bannon to help out. Mr. Bannon acquired a little candy store building on the site where the funeral home stands today, dismantled it and started construction. The rambling two story building has 3 air conditioned chapels and 4 slumber rooms. The wall of one of the large chapels is of plate glass from floor to ceiling and attendees can look out on a cloistered garden complete with waterfalls, a miniature forest and flowers. A family business, his 5 daughters (all deceased) operated the firm after his death. Dorothy became president, Katherine who once was a theater organist, presides at either of the two pipe organs, Anna was a receptionist and Evelyn was the office manager and did cosmetic work. Dorothy recalls occasions where 7 or 8 services were held in one day. They handled the service of the father of Max Baer, heavyweight boxing champion in 1959. She also commented that the funeral field was undergoing changes (1988), but that their business pretty much remained traditional, with full scale funerals and massive quantities of flowers. The funeral home is now owned by Service Corporation International and handles primarily black families. It is still a lovely facility.
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