Elvira May Canzanella, 94, of Mount Vernon, Illinois, went home to her Heavenly Father at 8:05 am January 21, 2025 at Axiom Health Care in Mount Vernon, Illinois. She was born February 23, 1930 in Saint Louis, Missouri to the late Lawrence and Norma (Molyneaux) Canzanella. Her mother died in January 1936 after which time she and her two sisters went to St. Dominic’s Orphanage. After graduating eighth grade, Elvira moved to Queen’s Long Island, New York, where she went to high school.
In 1948, Elvira moved back to Saint Louis and enlisted in the WAAC (Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps) in 1949. She was put in the Women’s Army Air Force and went to boot camp in San Antonio, Texas. A year later, she married a service man and during their ten years of marriage they had four children; two girls and two boys. As a wife of a serviceman she was able to travel and lived in Japan for three years. Elvira later had another daughter.
Elvira moved to Boston, Massachusetts where she got a job at Boston City Hospital as the first female security guard. During that time she enlisted in the Massachusetts Army National Guard and went to boot camp in Fort Gordon, Georgia. She was a graduate Honor Student in the US Army Military Police Academy, Rank of Spec 4. Elvira was in the National Guard from 1974-1976. She also spent three years in the Civil Air Patrol. In October 2018, Elvira participated in the Honor Flight #4.
She has done voluntary work with, Friendship of Faith Meals, Angels on Assignment, First United Methodist Church, Mount Vernon City Wide Clean Up, Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross Blood Drives, Mount Vernon Outland Airport, Peterson Air Force Base, and United Space Foundation in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Elvira is a member of American Legion, Charter Member of Women in Military Service in America – Washington D.C., and Veteran’s Hall of Honor – Mount Vernon Outland Airport. She has donated MIA flags to Peterson Air Force Base – Colorado Springs, Colorado, United Methodist Children’s Home, and Mount Vernon Police Department. She has also donated food to homeless veterans and Angels on Assignment. Elvira was a past Senior Saint in 2010.
Elvira received a degree in Law Enforcement from Northeastern University-Boston, where a classmate gave her an introduction to the police department at Scotland Yard. She attended Boston College School of Nursing and contributed to a book called Rape Victims of Crisis. She was part of rape victim’s counseling and assisted with their preparation for court appearances. Later she wrote a seventy page report on the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia for her preparation towards her Associates in Law Enforcement.
Elvira was honored for her Air Force Service by SSM Health at Home Hospice and in 2024 has an article written about her military service in the newspaper.
Elvira was faithful follower of her Lord.
Elvira is survived by her friend, Rose Straeter and husband, Richard of Mount Vernon and children, Kora, Karen, Kurt, and Doris.
In addition to her parents, Elvira was preceded in death by her child, Karl.
A Gathering of Family and Friends will be held Friday, January 31, 2025 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm at Hughey Funeral Home in Mount Vernon, Illinois. A Celebration of Life will begin at 1:00 pm with Mrs. Rose Staeter officiating. Inurnment will follow at Old Shiloh Cemetery in Mount Vernon, Illinois. Memorials may be made in Elvira’s memory to SSM Health at Home Hospice or Angels on Assignment.
Elvira’s Celebration of Life will be available by zoom at zoom.us/join. Please use the following meeting ID: 856 4323 5160
Call Hughey Funeral Home at 618-242-3348 or visit hugheyfh.com for further information.