Brooke Robertson Cannard

May 15, 2019

Brooke Robertson Cannard (92) went to be with her Lord and Savior on May 15th,2019. Her 3 children are having a celebration of life at Community Church, Chesapeake (Jolliff Rd.) to honor her, Saturday June 29th at 2pm. Visitation with the family will follow at 3pm. Always a Portsmouth gal and graduate of Wilson (’43) ,W&M (‘47), UNC (‘52); she loved school, social work, church work but most of all being with children. Left to cherish her memory are her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her children (and their children) from youngest to oldest: Drs. Kevin Cannard (Anne) and their children (Grace and Andrew Cannard); Steven Cannard and his children {Daniel Cannard, Rebekah Lehto (Nick) , Rachel De Lorenzo (Gio}; and Bonnie Pfeiffer Dussia (David) and her children Sean Pfeiffer( Becky); Ryan Pfeiffer (Susan), Kathy Pfeiffer Barber (Jeff), Chris Pfeiffer (Rebecca). Up until her last days she delighted in the grand and great-grandchildren. Brooke is preceded in death by her cherished parents "Essie" Brooke Foxwell and F. Ocie Robertson; and her husband John W. Cannard. After graduating from William and Mary her first job was with an adoption agency in Richmond where she fell in love with babies. She then moved back home and enjoyed taking the ferry to Norfolk where she began a long time affiliation working for Travelers Aid and Child and Family Services(40’s and 60’s). After achieving her Masters in Social Work from UNC she became a mental health counselor in Baltimore and later during the 70’s and 80’s worked at Community Mental Health in Norfolk. In the early 50’s she married John W. Cannard and enjoyed life in Baltimore where their three children were born. They came back to Portsmouth in the 60’s and reconnected with Western Branch Baptist (formerly South Street Baptist, her home church). Later Park View Baptist became home because her children had become active in the church. Church life was always central to Brooke and in the 80’s she finished post-graduate work to become a Kindergarten teacher and later director of a Christian primary school in Virginia Beach. She loved children ministries and even more loved playing and reading with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In the 90’s Brooke became a CBN counselor and joined the fellowship at Community Church. She has called it her church home ever since. Most of all we will miss her storytelling and tales of times gone by which incorporated her love of history and other cultures. Her amazing memory was a gift to so many and her yarns that could have the whole room laughing. We are thankful for the full life she was given and the goodness the good Lord bestowed on her. The family takes comfort knowing that Brooke “Entered His gates with Thanksgiving.”