Irene Viola Cannon Salahor, our beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and dear friend, passed away peacefully on May 18, 2019 at the age of 96. She was born on November 18, 1922 to Annie Kirstine Nielsen and Lewis Mousley Cannon. She had wonderful childhood memories of time spent on her grandparent's farm, where she learned to speak Danish, and good times spent with her Nielsen cousins and her older sister Leah.
She attended Columbus Elementary School, Irving Junior High and South High School where she had many wonderful teachers and made life long friends. She graduated from the University of Utah in 1944, with a B.A. in English Literature. She served in the Red Cross in California at the end of WWII. She graduated from Columbia University with an M.A. in English Literature and loved the years she spent living in New York City. For three years she worked for the director of the Marshall Plan in Paris.
She married I. Çemal H. Salahor on February 8, 1952. They moved to New York where she worked for the Ford Foundation. Upon her return to Salt Lake City she worked for the Salt Lake City and County libraries.
Later, Irene worked as a librarian at Bella Vista, Cottonwood Heights and Ridgecrest Elementary Schools and Albion Middle School. She loved sharing wonderful books with thousands of students. Irene served for more than 25 years on the board of the Friends of the Salt Lake City Library.
Irene was a life long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was kind, thoughtful, considerate of others, and gracious. Irene loved books, music, theater and travel but her greatest love was always for her family. She adored her daughter and her grandchildren and especially her great granddaughter Isla and was a major influence for good on their lives. She is survived by her daughter, Yasemin Marie Salahor Miller (Dr. Steven), and her grandchildren: Dr. Anne Catherine (Katie) Miller Cramer (David and great granddaughter Isla Elizabeth), Dr. Emily Kristine Miller Olson (Joshua), Matthew Steven Miller, Elizabeth Jane Miller (Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission), and Madeleine Jiatai Miller. She loved her nieces and nephews and was especially close to her nieces, Mary SmithBruschi (Bob and their children Rachel, Donald, Frances Irene, Jeanne and Leah), Kathy Cannon Parkhouse, Jane Cannon Holland (David and their children Matt and Lisa) and Charlotte Cannon Johnston (Peter deceased). She was preceded in death by her parents and by her siblings Matthew, Victor, Warren, Moses, and Aaron Cannon and Leah Cannon Smith.
We want to thank the many caregivers that have taken such good care of Irene for the past year, especially Mele, Crystal, Tia, Frannie, Maria, Travis (PT), Anka (massage therapist), Amanda (music therapist) and many others.
Friends and family are invited to attend a memorial service at the Larkin Funeral Home, 260 East South Temple on Friday, June 7, 2019 at 12:00 pm. There will be a viewing at 11:00 prior. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Irene's name to the Friends of the Salt Lake City Public Library.
The Salt Lake Tribune | Salt Lake City, Utah | June 2, 2019