The Hon. Louis Matthew "Matt" Cannarella

“Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Luke 23:42-43 Mr. Cannarella died on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, surrounded by his loving and devoted family. Matt was born in Hartsville, SC, on October 16, 1954, son of the late Vincent Joseph and Eleanor Mae Stanton Cannarella. As a young child, Matt was spirited and full of life, loving to joke, fish, and tag along with his brother Paul. Alongside his feisty dog Mickey, he lovingly would tease and torment his beloved sisters Lucy and Deb. Matt grew up in St. Mary Catholic School and was a favorite of the nuns. He loved the Catholic Church and was instrumental in raising the funds to build St. Mary’s current sanctuary and family life center. A 1973 graduate of Hartsville High School and a 1975 graduate of the University of South Carolina, Matt always had a passion for his city. Committed to the city of Hartsville, Mr. Cannarella served on City Council from 1979-1985. Progressively minded and always thinking of ways to make his city better, Matt served as the youngest mayor in city history from 1985-1993. During his tenure, Hartsville experienced tremendous growth and an economic boom. He was instrumental in bringing numerous regional and national businesses to the city, grants for park and recreational renovations, designing the city’s streetscape, including the development of the City of Hartsville’s Centennial Park, and upgrading the Hartsville Public Safety Division and public works initiatives. He designed the city’s first official city crest, established and began building valuable reserve funds, and worked tirelessly laying the groundwork for Hartsville’s first All-American City Award in 1996. Matt worked alongside his father managing Columbia Seafood and a trucking company. He later owned and managed real estate and several small businesses. Matt was a community leader who answered the call to raise awareness for the homeless and those in need, sponsoring the building of Hartsville’s first homeless shelter, which not only provided shelter but also assistance to rebuild lives. Hartsville received national attention when Mr. Cannarella led the city-wide Christmas in April initiative. Matt and his wife, Beverly, brought Special Olympics to Darlington and Marlboro Counties through developing and organizing the games for both counties. They proudly sponsored and chaperoned athletes to the State Special Olympics for several years. A loving husband, father, and brother, to Matt, family was everything. He is survived by his wife, Beverly Cannarella of Hartsville, SC; daughters Ann-Stanton Gore (Bennett) of Columbia, SC; Norman Mayfield (Corey) of Spartanburg, SC; Lucia Cannarella of Columbia, SC; and son Joseph Cannarella of Charleston, SC; his precious granddaughter Mattison, who was named in his honor; brother Paul (Carole) Cannarella of Hartsville, SC; sister, Lucy (Bo) Brown of Hartsville, SC; brother-in-law Buzz (Sheree) Tedards Jr. of Greensboro, NC; mother-in-law, Barbara Tedards of Clinton, SC; brother-in-law Ricky Newsome of Hartsville, SC; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins of the Cannarella, Marino, Watford, Brown, and Newsome families. Matt was preceded in death, by his loving and devoted sister Deb Newsome. Visitation will be Thursday, November 10, 2016, 4:30 to 6:30 PM at Prestwood Country Club’s Lake Room, overlooking the beautiful Prestwood Lake, Matt's favorite childhood and fishing spot; Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, November 11, 2016, 11:00 AM held at St. Mary Catholic Church, 363 N 5th St, Hartsville, SC 29550, with final interment at Magnolia Cemetery. Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home is serving the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Matt’s honor to St. Mary Catholic Church and the Community Foundation for a Better Hartsville (http://forabetterhartsville.org/). “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

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The Hon. Louis Matthew "Matt" Cannarella

October 16, 1954 - November 8, 2016