Does a good man’s life end at his death?
The answer for daughter Lisa Reinicke was, “No.” Her father was known by many names: Buster, Bill, Billy, Dad, and the Football Flyboy. His deeds, no matter how small, should be passed down to family, friends, and anyone looking for inspiration, and life-lessons from one who worked, lived and part of the Greatest Generation. The Football Flyboy was young, newlywed and a pilot in WWII. He was a good man.
One weekend morning, she determined that his spirit should not stay silent just because his mouth could no longer speak words. “I open my dad’s old air force footlocker - still solid, battleship grey, weathered, and a little rough from travel and age. His name is in white lettering on the front: First Lt William R Cannon.”
What she discovered were yellowed envelopes bound in twine - hundreds of them - that her father had written to her mother. Letters written daily during the last year of WWII and received by his bride. Her daily letters disappeared - only three times during the year, did the “mailman” catch up with him and teased with just a few of the hundreds.
“Before reaching inside, there was a feeling of the hands of time grabbing onto my heart, knowing that this was such a huge part of not only his life but my mom’s as well.”
Meet Bill “Buster” Cannon, the Football Flyboy … a good man with a good life who made a difference.
Lisa Reinicke is the majority holder of Our House Publications and author of 4 published children’s picture books for sale on Amazon and independent book stores. Lisa was honored with the Mom's Choice Gold Award for lifetime literary excellence for her children's book "Wings and Feet in 2017. She is a storyteller and author of 35 children’s stories appearing on local TV shows, elementary schools, and bookstores. The stories have been published in 3 collective recordings for distribution for A Goodnight Sleep Company. She also produced online (virtual) training for service advisors and technicians. Lisa served as head writer and on-camera talent in the videos. Her books are entertaining yet focus on social issues that engage children and parents to discuss. Her four children were all uniquely different ranging from physical differences, adoption, and physiological disorders that lead her following experts in each field to help children overcome the stigma around being different.
Lisa passionately works raising money for charities that improve children’s lives physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
The Cannon clan was known for "gathering." In fact they gathered in hordes of 25 or more at a time. No one was left out, not even the weird relatives.
New spouses were "inducted" into the Cannon family. We had our own form of hazing.But the Cannon's didn't leave you alone in the torture, they joined in the fun.
One family reunion the elders had the bright idea of throwing one of the newlyweds into the pool as initiation.It didn't matter that the poor young man had a nice suit on.
The Cannon's knew that this outsider would fit right in when he climbed out of the pool and began throwing all the laughing men and women into the deep end of the water. Next thing you knew the women stripped off their fancy dresses and were frolicking in bras and underwear .The men swimming in boxers began doing cannonballs splashing all the water from the pool.
After the fun was over there was a celebration with homemade pie. That's how you knew you were going to be family for life at the Cannon's
Book Excerpt
Football Flyboy: First Lt. Bill Cannon, Piloting More than His Own Aircraft
Jay was J. C. Robb and he was tortured by the Cannon clan when hefirst married Syd. He was taken out to the yard and hung on the clothesline upside down. Then they left him there yelling to get undone. It was the girls that saved him. An initiation into the Cannons meant that you were a Cannon for life.
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