Sterling Bennion Cannon was born on June 17, 1916, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was the youngest of eleven children.

Phyllis Dora Mitchell Cannon was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 18, 1919. She was the fourth of five children. Their birthdays were just one day apart.

Sterling and Phyllis had known each other for some time, but they really got to know each other when Phyllis was dating Barr Miller and Sterling was with someone else. Sterling walked his date to the door and shook hands with her at the end of the evening (which for all or you teenagers is how dates are supposed to end.) When Sterling returned to the car, Phyllis said, "That's not the way to say goodnight after a date. I'll take you up on your porch, and show you how it should be done." Sterling thought Phyllis was kidding. She kissed him like he had never been kissed before. He said it curled his toes.

Barr, Phyllis's long-term boyfriend, made the mistake of wanting to double date with Sterling and his girlfriend again. It was snowing outside, those big fluffy flakes that Phyllis always loved. Phyllis, in her usual playful mood, asked Barr to run around barefoot in the snow with her. Barr refused. Phyllis asked Sterling if he would do it. He was falling fast in love with her and would have done anything she asked. So they pranced and played in the snow.

After Phyllis and Sterling married, Sterling continued college in Provo and Phyllis worked as a clerk at Firmages Dept. store. Sterling graduated with a degree in soil science and agronomy. In 1941, they moved to Wisconsin. Dee was born in Lancaster on September 30, 1941. Phyllis and Sterling were on their way home for a Christmas visit with the family, when the 2nd World War broke out as the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

Phyllis and Sterling moved 25 times over the first 5 years of their marriage. Michael was born in May of 1943 in Indiana. Indiana was the first place they had lived that was remotely close to a branch of the church. It was about 30 miles away. With gas rationing going on at the time, it was difficult to attend. While in Covington, Indiana, there were no LDS churches, so Phyllis and Sterling attended the Methodist church. Sterling taught the 10 year old boys in Sunday School.