Ramona Wilcox Cannon photograph collection, 1919-1965

Ramona "Mona" Wilcox Cannon was born in 1887 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Jane Stevenson Wilcox and Dr. Charles. F. Wilcox, a prominent Salt Lake physician. She was the second of six children. Ramona's maternal grandfather, Edward Stevenson, was one of the First Seven Presidents of Seventies in the LDS Church and author of Reminiscences of Joseph, The Prophet.

Mona received her bachelor's degree and a life-teaching certificate from the University of Utah in 1908. In 1913, she received her master's degree with a major in English and a minor in Philosophy from the University of Utah. Mona was the third woman in the state to receive a master's degree. From 1910-1911, she studied at the Royal University in Berlin, receiving a Certificate of Language Study. Mona also studied French in Paris and traveled to London, Athens, Constantinople, Rome, and Cairo. In 1933 she studied creative writing at UCLA. At the time of her death in 1978 at the age of 91, Mona was pursuing a Ph.D. in sociology, and had taken about twenty post-graduate courses at the University of Utah in sociology and psychology.

In 1914 Ramona Wilcox married Joseph J. Cannon, a widower with three children: Wayne Dilworth Cannon, Jane Cannon Steward, and Grant Groesbeck Cannon. Together, they had four children: Elizabeth Cannon Ralphs, Adrian Wilcox Cannon, Bryant Wilcox Cannon, and Mark Wilcox Cannon.

During the early years of their marriage, Joseph traveled a great deal working to secure a business he was developing in Colombia. In 1918 Mona and five of the children moved to Colombia to be with Joseph and stayed for almost two years. In 1934 Joseph and Mona were named as President and Relief Society President of the LDS British Mission. The family lived in London from 1934-1937 and traveled extensively through northern Europe.

Joseph J. Cannon died from cancer in 1945. After Joseph's death, Mona taught and wrote to support herself and her youngest son Mark. She taught English at the University of Utah and German, French, Spanish, Latin, English, and history at the high school level. For 28 years (1943-1970) she wrote the "Women's Sphere" for the Relief Society Magazine. This was a column that noted the achievements of women worldwide. Ramona is also the author of 300 free-lance articles. At 64 Mona was the first Utah woman to run the Colorado. Mona spent the summer of 1956 in Berlin and revisited Latin America in 1965 and again in 1975 where she was the only American woman journalist at the inauguration of Venezuelan President Leone. She is also believed to be the only American woman to interview President Leone's wife.

Ramona Wilcox Cannon is perhaps best known for her anonymous writing. In November 1947, at the age of 60, Mona began writing the The Deseret News advice column, "Confidentially Yours," under the pen name "Mary Marker." Her career as Mary Marker spanned 26 years and ended in 1974 with more than 5,000 Mary Marker articles printed in The Deseret News. Section two of this collection further details Ramona's career as Mary Marker.

Mona served 5 years with the Salt Lake City Mental Health Association, 4 years with the Community Welfare Council, Inc. She was also involved with the Family Life Institute Committee, the Salt Lake City Council for Women, and was a founding member of Utah Press Women.

In 1964 Ramona Cannon received the first annual award given by the Utah Council on Family Relations for "Outstanding Contribution to Family Life." In 1971 the Utah Chapter of the National Federation of Press Woman awarded her their "Woman of Achievement Award." The Emeritus Club of the University of Utah (Alumni of 40 years standing) selected Mona as one of 20 distinguished Emeritus members in 1973. Two years later, the University of Utah recognized Mona as one of four "Distinguished Alumnus" for 1975. In 1978, months before her death, Mona received the Utah "Mother of the Year Award."