6 minute read
The Cannon Family: Family, Work and Fun
Resident Feature by Holly Stupak
Photos by Sierra Clark Photography www.SierraClarkPhoto.com
In 2003, Brownie’s 23 East in Ardmore (now The Ardmore Music Hall) was a popular hangout spot for local college students, especially on Wednesdays for their “Sink or Swim” theme nights. Katie (Leimbach) Cannon was a senior at St. Joseph’s University back then, and she and her friends spent many Wednesday nights there, taking advantage of the $5 cover charge to listen to popular live bands. Pat Cannon was a Villanova junior then, and he and his college friends were also regulars at Brownie’s on Wednesday nights. So it was only a matter of time before he would meet Katie there. They did, and the two hit it off. They dated for seven years and were married in June 2010 at her parents' church, St. Vincent de Paul in Richboro, PA.
Katie grew up in Bucks County with her parents and two brothers. In 2000, she graduated from Villa Joseph Marie High School in Holland, PA. When she was deciding on where to go for college, she knew she wanted to stay close to home and she wanted a good business school. “I chose St. Joe’s because of its reputation as a great business school,” said Katie. “And I liked the community that it offered as a Catholic university, with an emphasis on community service. It was a great environment and I fit in very well there.” During college, she also caught the travel bug and studied abroad twice, spending a summer in Greece and later a whole semester in Ireland.
Katie and Pat Cannon
Katie enjoyed studying marketing and found a great internship at The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. She worked with the Director of Marketing Programs, and was given the opportunity to write some stories, including one on the Philadelphia Zoo Balloon, which had just debuted. After she graduated with her BS in Marketing in 2004, she began working at the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) in Philadelphia. She was working on an MBA at St. Joe’s when she decided to change course and instead pursue an MS in Arts Administration at Drexel University.
While working full-time at CHF, Katie took classes at night and earned her Master’s in 2008. She then went on to work in Fundraising/Development at the Main Line Art Center. While she enjoyed fundraising, she ultimately returned to the marketing field, finding a great opportunity at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where she has worked for 12 years, and now serves as the Senior Marketing & Communications Manager. Although Katie didn't study art, she says working among the beautiful works of art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art is a dream come true. “I’ve always loved traveling and visiting cultural sites,” said Katie. “It's great to have a job where I’m able to ‘sell’ something I find exciting.”
Patrick (“Pat”) is a Delaware County native who grew up in Wallingford with his parents, five sisters, and three brothers. He graduated from the Haverford School where he played basketball for four years. Similar to Katie, Pat wanted to go to a college fairly close to home that offered a good marketing program. He went on to earn a BS in Marketing at Villanova in 2005, and worked as a copier salesman for six years after he graduated. What Pat enjoyed most about Villanova was the school spirit and the class sizes that made it easy to connect with the faculty.
Pat’s natural ease and ability to talk with people led him to jobs in sales. He now works as an Area Sales Manager for Rubbermaid Commercial Products, which manufactures innovative solution-based products for commercial and institutional markets worldwide. “I like my job because I enjoy meeting new people and working with new companies on a regular basis,” said Pat. “I also knew I didn’t want to be in an office all day. I like getting to travel and having a flexible schedule.” Although he’s been working from home these past few months due to the pandemic, he typically travels 3 to 4 times a week and his territory brings him to Philadelphia, Harrisburg, other parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Will, Charlotte and Gracie Cannon
The Cannons have three children: Charlotte, Will and Gracie, all with their own unique personalities.
Charlotte, 7, will soon be a 2nd-grader at St. Anastasia School. She’s a serious girl who loves dancing and takes tap, jazz, and ballet classes at From the Top Dance. She’s also a Daisy Girl Scout, and plays soccer for the Marple Newtown Soccer Association. A typical older sister, Charlotte likes to look out for her younger siblings.
Will, 5, is very outgoing and is known as the “jokester” of the Cannon family. He attends Pre-K at St. Anastasia, where he’s known as a very outgoing classmate. And he loves sports, especially basketball and baseball.
The youngest Cannon, Gracie, age 2, is described as a “wild child” who loves to play with the big kids.
The Cannons also have a 10-year-old Beagle-Daschund mix, Murphy, whom they rescued from a shelter in Tennessee. Once a pretty rambunctious pup, he’s now more “chill “in his later years. And he’s gotten used to less attention since he’s no longer their only baby.
When Katie and Pat were first married, they lived in Ardmore, where they loved being able to walk to shops and restaurants and get into the city easily. But after they had children, they realized they needed more space than what their twin home offered. Their Ardmore home sold in just three days, so they needed to find a new house quickly.
The Cannon Family at Rose Tree Park
With a lot of Pat’s family in Delaware County and his sister in Newtown Square, they decided to look in the Marple area. They found the perfect listing on Old Cedar Grove Rd, but unfortunately Pat was traveling that weekend. Not wanting to miss the opportunity to see what might be their forever home, Katie looked at the house on her own and narrated to him as she toured it. Pat trusted Katie’s good judgment and they submitted their offer. They bonded with the owners, a couple from Ireland who built the home in the 1970s. Knowing how special the house was to the previous owners, the Cannons said they feel blessed to be the next family in the home.
The Cannon Family (L-R): Pat, Gracie, Katie, Charlotte and Will
The Cannons spend much of their summers at the Jersey shore, where both their families own homes. After working hard and keeping busy with their children all week, the Cannons are grateful for the opportunity to relax and hang out with their families on the weekends. “We are lucky that both of our families have places at the shore, “said Katie. “It gives us the opportunity to spend lots of quality time with family!”
Do you know a Broomall Family or Resident in service to our community?
Tell us who readers of our magazine might like to meet in an upcoming issue. Make your nominations for upcoming magazine features about Broomall residents, youth, seniors or nonprofit groups. Email your suggestions to Holly Stupak at HStupak@BestVersionMedia.com.
