Dr. Marilyn L. Guzzo, 90, of Spring Lake, beloved mother, wife, and pediatrician, passed away on July 21, 2017, at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune. Marilyn was known to her thousands of patients and colleagues as Dr. Marilyn Cannon, M.D.

She will be sincerely missed by her loving family and the countless patients whose lives she touched over the more than fifty years she actively practiced medicine. Her true legacy is the love and respect of her family, patients and many friends. Dr. Cannon always considered her patients to be an extended family.

Dr. Cannon was a member of the Jersey Shore Medical Center staff for over fifty years. She served multiple terms as the Chief of Pediatrics and as a member of the Medical Executive Committee of the hospital. Dr. Cannon garnered many awards over her long and distinguished career.

Dr. Cannon was born in Newark, New Jersey and attended Barringer High School, where she was Valedictorian. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 1948, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors. Dr. Cannon graduated from the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1952. This was at a time when only a handful of medical schools in the United States accepted women.

Following graduation from medical school, she completed her internship at Martland Medical Center and her residency in pediatrics at Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark, NJ. Dr. Cannon was a board certified pediatrician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Cannon also successfully completed a fellowship in pediatric cardiology.

Dr. Cannon began the private practice of pediatrics in Ocean Grove, NJ in an office built for her by her father. She moved her medical practice to Spring Lake in 1963, where she continued to practice until retiring in 1997. Dr. Cannon was one of the first board certified pediatricians in Monmouth County.

She loved all the children she treated and the parents who raised them. Her “kids,” and their parents, returned that love many times over. In her later years, Dr. Cannon loved to hear from her patients. They often visited her, or wrote her, describing the many positive effects she had on their lives.

She was a continuing friend and mentor to many of the children she treated. Dr. Cannon always encouraged them to succeed in life and loved providing advice and counsel to her patients, both during and after her practicing years.

Dr. Cannon had many interests in addition to medicine. In fact, it’s hard to believe all the amazing things she accomplished and experienced despite working seventy hours a week for her patients.

She was an avid ocean swimmer, and beach goer, and never missed an opportunity to enjoy the shore, where she lived most of her life. She loved travel and got the chance to visit many magnificent places all over the world and in the U.S.

Dr. Cannon was always involved in the political life of her community, state and country. She and her husband, Dr. Carl J. Guzzo, Sr., served ten terms as elected Republican Committeeman in Spring Lake. She attended two national Republican conventions as an unofficial delegate. She provided advice and counsel concerning issues effecting children to many local, state and federal officials, including governors, congressmen, senators, and cabinet secretaries. She dined with several Presidents, including Nixon, Ford, Reagan and both Bushes.

To her last days, Dr. Cannon was deeply involved in all manner of current affairs and popular culture. She loved music, theater, opera and the ballet. She knew more about current events than most people seventy years her junior. She loved to attend concerts and performances in person. She was equally at home attending an opera, rock concert, jazz show or blue grass festival. In her 80’s, Dr. Cannon attended concerts by Pavarotti, Bocelli, the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Prince, the Eagles, Garth Brooks and Fleetwood Mac. She was always involved with the world and made all those around her smile with her knowledge and familiarity with our current day culture and events.

Dr. Cannon was predeceased, this past February, by her husband of 57 years, Carl J. Guzzo, Sr., M.D. She also was predeceased by her beloved parents, George Dewey Cannon, Sr., and Helen Gould Haines. She is survived by her beloved son, Dr. Carl J. Guzzo, Jr., Esq., and her loving daughter-in-law, Mary Rose Migliazza Guzzo, Esq., of Spring Lake. Also, she is survived by her dear brother, Dr. George Cannon, Jr., and his wife, Leslie, and her brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Dr. Francis Guzzo, Joan Pepe, Alba Khatami and Elaine Schaeffler, as well as her many beloved nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins, and in-laws.

Dr. Cannon is also survived by an extended family of the thousands of children for whom she cared over her many years in practice. Often, she took care of three generations of children from the same family. Those thousands of children have grown up to become productive members of our society. They always will remember the pediatrician who loved and cared for them. They, and the successful lives they are leading, are the best memorial anyone could have.

Dr. Cannon will be missed by all she knew. She was a magnificent person who touched the lives of countless people and overcame serious childhood illnesses to lead a wonderful, productive life. We will not see her like again in this world and will miss her always.

In keeping with Dr. Cannon’s wishes, a memorial mass will be held in the near future. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to The Salvation Army in memory of Dr. Cannon. Donations may be sent to The Salvation Army, 605 Asbury Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ 07712, Attention: Major Newton.