Don Canney
Encyclopedia
Donald J. "Don" Canney was an American
politician
and civil engineer
who served as the Mayor of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
, for twenty-two years from 1969 to 1992. Canney is Cedar Rapids' longest serving mayor to date.
. He served as an underwater demolitions expert within the United States Marine Corps
during the Korean War
. He received a bachelor's degree
in civil engineering
from the University of Iowa
. Canney married Gloria Frau on August 20, 1955, and remained together until her death in 2010.
and civic development. Projects credited to Canney include the U.S. Cellular Center
, which opened in 1979 as the Five Seasons Center, the expansion of the The Eastern Iowa Airport
, the Edgewood Road Bridge and the 5-in-1 dam
.
Canney resigned from office in 1992 after more than 22 years as mayor when he was 61 years old. he took a position with PMX Industries Inc., a South Korea
firm which had opened a facility in Cedar Rapids, where he worked for three years before his retirement. In addition to his career in engineering and politics, Canney also created his own brand
of fish fillet knives, called "Canney’s Leech Lake filet knife." The knives were named for a lake in which he fished during the summer.
Don Canney died of heart failure in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on March 20, 2011, at the age of 80. His funeral was held at the St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Canney wife, Gloria O. (née Frau) Canney, had died on September 13, 2010.
Current Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett
announced the creation of commission
to rename a major Cedar Rapids landmark in honor of Canney. Possible choices for the memorial which have been mentioned include an airport terminal
at Eastern Iowa Airport, a former federal court
which is being re-purposed to become Cedar Rapids' future city hall
, or the city library. Corbett explained that, "We’re looking for something significant to have Don Canney’s name associated with. Don was big into public infrastructure
, so it only makes sense from the standpoint also."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
who served as the Mayor of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, for twenty-two years from 1969 to 1992. Canney is Cedar Rapids' longest serving mayor to date.
Early life
Canney was born on October 8, 1930, to John and Alice Mickle Canney in Iowa City, IowaIowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. He served as an underwater demolitions expert within the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
. Canney married Gloria Frau on August 20, 1955, and remained together until her death in 2010.
Career
Canney served as the Cedar Rapids streets commissioner for more than six years before becoming Mayor of Cedar Rapids in 1969. Canney is credited with spearheading much of modern Cedar Rapids' infrastructureInfrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
and civic development. Projects credited to Canney include the U.S. Cellular Center
U.S. Cellular Center
The U.S. Cellular Center is a multi-purpose arena, located in the downtown section of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was financed by the approval of a voter referendum to allocate special municipal capital improvement bond monies, after several prior bond referendums to build a civic center failed between...
, which opened in 1979 as the Five Seasons Center, the expansion of the The Eastern Iowa Airport
The Eastern Iowa Airport
The Eastern Iowa Airport is a commercial airport in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the United States. The airport serves Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and other communities in eastern Iowa...
, the Edgewood Road Bridge and the 5-in-1 dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
.
Canney resigned from office in 1992 after more than 22 years as mayor when he was 61 years old. he took a position with PMX Industries Inc., a South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
firm which had opened a facility in Cedar Rapids, where he worked for three years before his retirement. In addition to his career in engineering and politics, Canney also created his own brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
of fish fillet knives, called "Canney’s Leech Lake filet knife." The knives were named for a lake in which he fished during the summer.
Don Canney died of heart failure in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on March 20, 2011, at the age of 80. His funeral was held at the St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Canney wife, Gloria O. (née Frau) Canney, had died on September 13, 2010.
Current Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett
Ron Corbett
-Early life and education:Corbett was born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1960. His family moved to Iowa and he later graduated from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa in 1983.-Career:...
announced the creation of commission
Commission
Commission may refer to:* Commission , a form of payment to an agent for services rendered* Commission , a document given to commissioned officers....
to rename a major Cedar Rapids landmark in honor of Canney. Possible choices for the memorial which have been mentioned include an airport terminal
Airport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
at Eastern Iowa Airport, a former federal court
United States federal courts
The United States federal courts make up the judiciary branch of federal government of the United States organized under the United States Constitution and laws of the federal government.-Categories:...
which is being re-purposed to become Cedar Rapids' future city hall
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
, or the city library. Corbett explained that, "We’re looking for something significant to have Don Canney’s name associated with. Don was big into public infrastructure
Public infrastructure
Public infrastructure is a general term often qualified specifically as:* Aviation infrastructure - air traffic control technology in aviation* Critical infrastructure - assets required to sustain human life...
, so it only makes sense from the standpoint also."