Willie "Lois" Cannon

Willie “Lois” Schabilion Cannon of Des Moines, IA, passed away peacefully at the Prairie Vista Village in Altoona on September 18, 2022, at the age of 94.

Willie was born on May 10, 1928, to William and Velma (Rath) Korous in Riverside, IA. She was the eldest of two children and credited her early life by instilling a love of caretaking within her.

Willie graduated from West Branch High School and attended courses at the University of Iowa, where she met her first husband, Dan Schabilion. They married in Iowa City, Iowa on May 8, 1947. For 20 years they owned and operated the Van Meter Meat Locker, and had two sons, Dan Edward and William Harold. After Willie and Dan divorced, she married Robert "Bob" Cannon in 1969. Bob’s professional photography career led them to relocate to Des Moines, the city that Willie made her home for the rest of her life.

Willie was creative and driven. She contrived a successful seamstress business, Willie’s Window Fashions. She also established a modeling career; her husband Bob was inspired to capture countless, beautiful images of her for decades. She worked on the mother/baby unit at Mercy Hospital, and later as the front desk executive at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, befriending presidents and senators during her 16 years in the role.

Willie was filled with compassion for all life. She cultivated a backyard oasis for wildlife in the city of Des Moines. Her grandchildren were delighted to watch Grandma Willie stand in her yard with seed and bread, watching as birds swooped in and chipmunks and squirrels ate from her hands, or even sat on her shoulders.

Willie is survived by her son, William (Dorothy) Schabilion; step-daughter, Theresa Gibson; along with several grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Cannon; son, Dan E. Schabilion; brother, Edward "La Moyne" Korous; and former husband, Dan Schabilion.

Visitation for Willie will be held at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home in Urbandale on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at 9:00 a.m., followed immediately by a service at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow at the Resthaven Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be directed to the family for a future designation. Online condolences may be left at www.caldwellparrish.com.