Thomas Joseph Canning III, 71, of Raleigh, NC, died on January 27, 2019, after a long battle with Huntington’s Disease. He was born in Columbus, OH, on June 15, 1947, son of the late Thomas Joseph Canning Jr. and Rita Emery Canning.

After graduating from Rose High School in Greenville, NC, Tom attended North Carolina State University. After graduating with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering, he served in the United States Army for 2 years, 1 of which was spent stationed overseas in Turkey. Upon his return, Tom attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with an MBA from Kenan-Flagler Business School. He worked in the field of finance as a banker at NCNB (now Bank of America). Tom also developed an expertise in computers and was instrumental in creating the first computer network at the bank.

Tom had a number of passions. He loved to travel - some of his favorite destinations were Italy, Turkey, Japan, and his home state of North Carolina. He was an avid reader, enjoyed photography, and loved watching ACC basketball (go Wolfpack!). Tom also had a remarkable passion for all types of music, as was evidenced by his extensive collection of vinyl records.

Tom is survived by his loving children; daughter, Shelley Danser (Andy) of Durham, NC; and son, Philip Canning (Alejandra) of Charlotte, NC; grandchildren, Clara and Jack of Durham; and siblings, Tim Canning (Cindy), John Canning (Jocelyn), Joe Canning (Naomi), Mary Edmonson (Don), and Ann Lassiter (Ralph).

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 9th, 2019, at Resurrection United Methodist Church, 4705 Old Chapel Hill Rd, Durham, NC 27707. Family and friends are welcome to a gathering with food and refreshments immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Tom to HD Reach, www.hdreach.org. HD Reach is a North Carolina-based nonprofit working to improve the care and quality of life of those affected by Huntington’s Disease throughout the state.