Hoyt Esten Cannon, Jr.

Major Hoyt Esten Cannon, Jr., U.S. Army, passed away at his home in Warner Robins on February 10, 2021. He was 79 years old.

Born in Macon on November 20, 1941, Hoyt was the son of the late Hoyt E. Cannon, Sr. and Gladys Sanders Cannon. Hoyt was a 1959 graduate of Lanier Senior High School in Macon and a 1963 graduate of North Georgia College in Dahlonega, Georgia. He entered the U.S. Army upon his graduation from NGC as a regular Army officer and spent nine years on active duty. He was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, Germany, and Vietnam with the 1st Infantry Division, and Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland and also as an advisor to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. After his honorable discharge from active service as a Major, he served in the Army Reserve and the Georgia State Defense Force. During his time serving his country, Hoyt was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with OLC, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Army Commendation Medal, Civic Action Honor Medal, 1st Class Joint Services Commendation Medal and the Phillippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation.

After his military service, Hoyt worked at the Georgia Department of Labor followed by employment in human resources and management with other local firms. He retired from the Middle Georgia Regional Library System as the Finance Officer in 2006.

Hoyt was interested in military history, particularly World War II in the Philippines and the War Between the States. Hoyt was a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, NRA, Society of the First Infantry Division, Phillipine Scouts Heritage Society, North Georgia Corps of Cadets Association and the NGC Alumni Association. He was an Eagle Scout and held the Explorer Silver Award. He was of the Baptist faith.

Hoyt is survived by his wife, Drenna Donnell Cannon of Warner Robins; daughters, Dr. Gentry C. Trice (Anthony) of Bonaire and Dr. Kayren E. Cannon of Perry; grandchildren, Hunter Roberts, Jakob Roberts, Elizabeth Oliver and Jay Oliver; and brother, G. Frank Cannon (Evelyn) of Macon as well as other family members in Georgia and Texas.

The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until 12 noon on Saturday, February 13, 2021 at Magnolia Park Cemetery. A graveside funeral service with full military honors will immediately follow with Reverend Andy Cook officiating. For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in Hoyt’s memory to the University of North Georgia Corps of Cadets at http://ung.imodules.com/cannon.

Learn more about the measures McCullough Funeral Home is taking to ensure the health and safety of our guests at www.mcculloughfh.com. There you can also sign an Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.