Canney, Donald J.

Donald. J. Canney, 80, of Cedar Rapids, died at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy Sunday, March 20, 2011. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Pius X Catholic Church by the Rev. Phil Thompson. Interment: St. Joseph Cemetery. A vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, where friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday and after 9 a.m. Thursday at the church.

Survivors include sons, Kevin (Sue) Canney of Cedarburg, Wis., and Mike (Paulette) Canney of Cedar Rapids; daughter-in-law, Lisa Canney of Cedar Rapids; a sister, Margaret “Peg” Weno of Iowa City; seven grandchildren, Noah, Alex, Meghan, Isabelle, Sieger, Gwendalyn and Alaina; and many loving nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Gloria; and a son, Tim.

Don was born Oct. 8, 1930, in Iowa City, to John and Alice Mickle Canney. He served honorably in the United States Marine Corps, during the Korean conflict as an underwater demolitions expert. Upon returning, Don married his soul mate and love of his life, Gloria and then went on to graduate with a civil engineering degree from the University of Iowa. Upon graduation, Don served as an engineer in training with the City of Cedar Rapids Engineering Department, which eventually led him to seek office as streets commissioner, serving for over six years.

In 1969, Don was elected mayor of the City of Cedar Rapids, serving more than 22 years. During his first term, he led a delegation to Paris, France, on behalf of Iowans Care, obtaining all the names of the Iowan POWs held by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. His visionary outlook led to many improvements in the city which included the Edgewood Road “bridge to nowhere,” The Eastern Iowa Airport expansion, Five in One Bridge, Cedar Rapids “Airforce,” downtown revitalization including the Five Seasons Center and the Ground Transportation Center. He developed relationships which led to a sister city in China. The impact made by Don during his tenure continues to shape the future of Cedar Rapids.

For all of his achievements and the dignitaries (Henry Kissinger, President Ronald Regan, President Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter, and the King of Tonga) he interacted with, Don was most comfortable with the working citizens of Cedar Rapids for whom he served. After retiring in 1992, Don worked at PMX Industries for three years and served on the Mercy Hospital board of directors.

In the early 1980s, as an avid fisherman, Don invented a knife like no other; famously known worldwide as “Don Canney's Leech Lake filet knife.” Over the last 30 years, Don has supplied fishermen with the ultimate tool that “not only works good but looks good too!” He was fondly known as “King of the Knife Makers.”

Don enjoyed being the grand Marshall of the SaPaDaPaSo parade for many years. He loved spending time at his lake home in Minnesota, deer hunting, wintering with friends in Las Vegas and massive family fish fries.

Don was a member of the V.F.W. and the American Legion. As a member of the Catholic Church, Don was active in several parishes and will be remembered by many working the paddle wheel at the St. Jude Corn Festival. Of all his lifelong accomplishments, Don's greatest legacy is the faith filled example he has given to his family.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

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