Ms. Willena R. Cannon

Willena R. Cannon peacefully transitioned from this life on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at her home in Greensboro, North Carolina. She was born on Friday, March 1, 1940, in Marion County, South Carolina, the sixth of ten children born to the late Eugene and Annie Dell Reaves.

Willena graduated from Palmetto High School and continued her education at N C A&T State University where she became actively involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Among her most notable contributions was her participation in the historic Woolworth’s protests of 1963—demonstrations that grew out of the landmark 1960 Greensboro sit-ins, when four courageous Black students challenged segregation at a “whites-only” lunch counter.

Over forty-five years, Willena served as a pillar of Greensboro’s Healthy Homes Division, dedicating her professional life to improving housing conditions for families throughout the community. Her tireless efforts to eliminate substandard housing and combat environmental health hazards, including lead paint exposure, earned her national recognition among healthy housing advocates. Known for her compassion, perseverance, and ability to connect with people from all walks of life, Willena empowered countless individuals to improve their homes, their health, and their quality of life.

A lifelong activist, Willena played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement and remained steadfast in her commitment to social justice throughout her life. She was deeply involved in numerous struggles for equity and workers’ rights, including the African Liberation Movement, the Blind Workers Strike, the Cafeteria Workers Strike, the K-Mart Boycott, and the fight for district representation on Greensboro’s City Council. In 1979, she became actively engaged with the Workers Viewpoint Organization and the Communist Workers Party, which organized the “Death to the Klan” rally held in Greensboro on November 3, 1979. This event—later known as the Greensboro Massacre—tragically resulted in the deaths of five demonstrators and injuries to others when armed members of the Ku Klux Klan and the American Nazi Party opened fire. Despite the violence and injustice, she witnessed Richmond, Lindsay, Cannonher unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and equality endured.

Willena leaves to cherish her memory her beloved children: Kwame Cannon, Imani Sudderth, and Kweli Sudderth, all of Greensboro, N C; her siblings, Sue Holmes (Noble) of Mitchellville, MD; Annette Bolden of Jacksonville, FL; Harry Reaves and Rev. Linda Guy (Haywood), both of Greensboro, NC; eleven grandchildren—April Randall, Maceo Cannon, Kwame Cannon Jr., Willow Cannon, Tendi Parker, Taj Sudderth, Chonecie Morgan, Laura Clinton, Kweli “KJ” Sudderth Jr., Kobe Cartwright, and Kaylee Sudderth; four great-grandchildren—Zion Parker, Amina Parker, Kyan Broadnax, and Mahaly Heygood; along with a host of nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Family and friends will gather to celebrate her life and legacy on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at Genesis Baptist Church, located at 2812 East Bessemer Avenue, Greensboro, North Carolina 27405. Rev. Dr. Verenander Lloyd Hughes, Pastor, will officiate the service, and Rev. Wesley J. Morris, Pastor of Faith Community Church, will deliver the eulogy. Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m., followed by the service at 11:30 a.m.

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