David Ronald Cannon dies in Brisbane after battle with cancer

Restaurateur, talented footy player and ‘true gentleman’ David Cannon has died, leaving behind a legacy of strength, courage and family.

David Ronald Cannon was an icon of the food industry, having run many pubs and eateries in Queensland and Darwin.

Son, husband, father, businessman, consultant and talented footballer David Ronald Cannon lost his battle with cancer after two-and-a-half-years on August 9, 2022, at the age of 52.

The one-time lessee of Gympie’s Phoenix Hotel has been remembered by his family as a “true gentleman”; a kind, thoughtful, observant and compassionate man, who became a successful businessman, running a number of restaurants in Darwin.

The Cannons arrived in Gympie in 1971, when David was just a baby. Reg Cannon coached and played for Gympie Brothers, and his and wife Ros ran The Phoenix Hotel, building it into a great success,

Mr Cannon (senior) was in the Brothers Rugby League team in Brisbane, and played for Queensland in interstate matches. He was named in the “Gympie Team of the Century”.

David Ronald Cannon passed away on August 9, 2022.

Duncan Cannon on Monday described his big brother as a teacher and role model who showed him what it meant to live life, be a good person and earn people’s respect.

“He was very honest to me when other people weren’t, and he’d deliver it in a way where you knew it was coming from a good place, Mr Cannon said.

“He was very humble,” Mr Cannon said.

“He was proud of the fact that he would give everything a go and try his hardest.”

When David went to boarding school at St Brendan’s College in Yeppoon, he stood out as an aspiring young football talent, just like his father.

David Ronald Cannon was an 'entrepreneur' of the food industry.

“Doogie was a well-loved member of the St Brendan’s community and is remembered fondly as manager of the all-conquering 1st XIII in 1987,” a proud post on the St Brendan’s Yeppoon Old Boys Foundation Facebook page reads.

David entered hospitality after graduating, running several pubs on the Gold Coast and leasing the Phoenix Hotel in Gympie off his parents. He also briefly worked as an assistant manager at the Mooloolaba Surf Club in 1996.

“After he left school, he was his own man,” Mr Cannon (senior) said. David later worked as a miner in Western Australia.

He then started at the Brisbane restaurant Cha Cha Char in 2001, where he worked his way up to manager, before he was sent to Darwin to open a sister restaurant, Char Restaurant in 2004.

David Ronald Cannon and Steve Roach at the Ferny Grove Tavern 1991

He later owned Mulligan’s Restaurant at the Darwin Golf Club then managed the Cavenagh Hotel before he started his own business, Cannon’s Kitchen.

He spent the last three years of his life consulting in hospitality, running Cannon’s Kitchen and starting his own catering business, Billycan Catering, a fly-in fly-out service for mining and drilling camps in rural parts of Australia.

“He was entrepreneurial,” his proud father said.

David married Brigette in 2002 and his proudest achievement was his two beloved daughters, Lillie and Maggie.

David Ronald Cannon and his daughters, Maggie and Lillie

The family gathered around David on Tuesday, August 9, and played him his favourite songs until he drifted away at 4pm in Brisbane.

“It was an epic battle and he gave it a good run for his money; he fought hard right to end,” his brother Mr Cannon said.

“I hope when I face a challenge like that, I’m half as strong.”

David was a “wonderful bloke” and taught people about courage and facing the facts, Mr Cannon said.

Mr Cannon (senior) described his son as someone who would treat people exactly the same from every walk of life, and as his best friend.

David Ronald Cannon and Tom Raudonikus at the Darwin Races

David was the eldest son of Reg and Ros Cannon and a brother to Andrew, Monica, Byron and Duncan.

“He was a very personal person, and a lovely man,” Reg said.

He loved his years in Gympie, and felt he was still a very big part of the town.

“We all feel we’re still part of Gympie,” Reg said.

David’s funeral will be held at Victoria Park Grand Ballroom, Brisbane on August 18, 2022 and a live stream will be available.