Dr. Les Cannon’s Game Was Life — And He Excelled at Them All
Leslie “Les” Harman Cannon (1920–2009)
Athlete, Veteran, and Hardworking East & West-Side Leader
Les Harman Cannon was born May 28, 1920, in Denver, Colorado, to Nicholas Clements Cannon and Martha Davis Harman Cannon. He grew up in Granger, Utah, where he helped at his family’s well-known neighborhood business, The Cannon Store, located near 3918 West 3500 South. Like his parents—and the extended Harman family—Les developed a strong work ethic and a lifelong habit of industriousness that carried into every part of his life.
Les was also a gifted and determined athlete. A 1937 graduate of Cyprus High School, he went on to become one of the most versatile athletes of his generation, competing in multiple sports at Brigham Young University. Throughout the late 1930s and early 1940s, his name appeared frequently in local sports pages. He starred in track and field, baseball, basketball, and football, earning a reputation for power and leadership. In track, he excelled in the javelin, hammer throw, and pole vault, even serving as captain of the BYU track team in 1940. Reporters also noted his skill as a pitcher—a strong right arm that carried him from Cudahy League games to BYU’s baseball roster.
After graduating from BYU in 1940, Les continued his education at the University of Utah, where he joined the baseball team in 1941 and continued to compete at a high level. His passion for sport extended far beyond his college years—by 1949, he was an active competitive trap shooter, adding another discipline to his long list of athletic pursuits.
When the United States entered World War II, Les answered the call to serve. He spent four years in the U.S. military, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant with the 11th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, serving in the Philippines. (Some early records list him with naval training, but his discharge papers identify him with the U.S. Army.) During his training in La Junta, Colorado, he met Mildred Harwood, a young farm girl who became the love of his life. The two were married on February 25, 1944, later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple in 1959, and shared nearly 61 years of marriage before her passing in 2005.
Following his military service, Les worked at Kennecott, then spent 25 years as a Public Utilities Specialist with the Bureau of Reclamation, retiring in 1983. He also carried his family’s entrepreneurial spirit into the next generation, opening Les Cannon’s American Service Station at 2700 West 3500 South in the 1970s—a place remembered fondly by many Granger and Hunter residents.
Les was an active Latter-day Saint, serving faithfully as a High Priest and High Priest Secretary for over three decades. Outside of work and church, he was happiest outdoors—fishing, hunting, gardening, and taking long daily walks.
Dr Carl Clark, Les Cannon Jr and Dr. Les Cannon Sr
In a 1964 newspaper story, Les appeared alongside his longtime friend Dr. Carl Clark, both former BYU track stars, cheering proudly for Les Cannon Jr., who was emerging as a track standout at Hillcrest High. The piece perfectly captured the Cannon family’s multi-generational love of sports, work, and community.
Leslie Harman Cannon passed away peacefully on April 26, 2009, in West Valley City, at age 88. His life reflected the same determination and hard work that defined both the Cannon and Harman families—pioneers, builders, and achievers who helped shape the spirit of Utah’s west side.