Donor Biography

Ruth Ipson Cannon, was born the fourth child in a family of twelve children to Parley and Sarah Ann Church Ipson, June 16, 1920, in Panguitch, Utah. She attended schools in Panguitch and graduated from Garfield County High School in May 1938.

Ruth was awarded a full tuition scholarship to the Branch Agricultural College (now SUU) in Cedar City, Utah. Ruth loved people and was an officer for both her high school and college classes. Ruth loved Panguitch, Bryce Canyon, and Southern Utah.

She married Kenneth Lynn Cannon in the Salt Lake Temple on August 7, 1942. A granddaughter of Danish immigrants, Ruth was an active and devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many capacities as an officer and teacher in the auxiliaries. In 1982-84, she and her husband were missionaries to Perth, Western Australia.

Ruth grew up during the Depression and was taught by her parents to work hard, laugh loudly, and be frugal. She was a talented seamstress and loved to crochet, completing afghans for all her children and grandchildren. She loved life and was always fun. She lived on three continents and visited 24 foreign countries before she stopped traveling. Ruth loved seeing the beautiful people and places wherever she visited. She always said ""A smile is the same in any language.""

She was the mother of five children, 17 grandchildren and 48 great-grandchildren. Ruth died in 2018 at the age of 98 in Salt Lake City.

Scholarship Criteria

Will be awarded to a freshman from Garfield County, Utah. Preference will be given to students majoring in Education that demonstrate financial need.

Varied Dollars/yr