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Mona W. Cannon

Ramona "Mona" Wilcox Cannon was born in 1887 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Jane Stevenson Wilcox and Dr. Charles. F. Wilcox, a prominent Salt Lake physician. In 1914 she married Joseph J. Cannon, a widower with three children. Together, they had four children.

For 28 years (1943-1970) Ramona wrote the "Women's Sphere" for the Relief Society Magazine. This was a column that noted the achievements of women worldwide. Ramona is also the author of 300 free-lance articles. In November 1947, at the age of 60, Mona began writing The Deseret News' advice column, "Confidentially Yours," under the pen name "Mary Marker." Her career as Mary Marker spanned 26 years and ended in 1974 with more than 5,000 Mary Marker articles printed in The Deseret News.

Mona received her bachelor's degree and a life-teaching certificate from the University of Utah in 1908. In 1913, she received her master's degree with a major in English and a minor in Philosophy from the University of Utah. Mona was the third woman in the state to receive a master's degree. From 1910-1911, she studied at the Royal University in Berlin, receiving a Certificate of Language Study. Mona also studied French in Paris and traveled to London, Athens, Constantinople, Rome, and Cairo. In 1933 she studied creative writing at UCLA. At the time of her death in 1978 at the age of 91, Mona was pursuing a Ph.D. in sociology, and had taken about twenty post-graduate courses at the University of Utah in sociology and psychology.

Mona served 5 years with the Salt Lake City Mental Health Association, 4 years with the Community Welfare Council, Inc. She was also involved with the Family Life Institute Committee, the Salt Lake City Council for Women, and was a founding member of Utah Press Women.

Ramona Stevenson Wilcox Cannon
LDS
LDS (member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints)
Joseph Jenne Cannon
1887-04-08
Salt Lake City, Utah
1978-12-21
University of Utah
Female
Author, Educator, Journalist, Teacher
English
Received the first annual award given by the Utah Council on Family Relations for "Outstanding Contribution to Family Life" (1964); "Woman of Achievement Award" from the Utah Chapter of the National Federation of Press Women (1971); University of Utah recognized her as one of four "Distinguished Alumnus" (1975); Utah "Mother of the Year Award" (1978)

2 Works by Mona W. Cannon

Title Role Year Genre
A Captive King Author Short Story
An Awakening Author 1936 Drama
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