Sterling resident John J. Cunningham died Friday, April 30, 2004, at Central Peninsula
General Hospital in Soldotna after a battle with lymphoma. He was 61.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 4, at Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church in Kenai. Father Thomas Andrew will officiate. Burial is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 5, at Fort Richardson National Cemetery. Pallbearers will be John V. Cunningham II, Rusty Rubeck, Jose Salinas, Walter G. Jackinsky, Pete Trefon Jr. and Eric Billman.
Mr. Cunningham was born May 10, 1942, in Columbus, Ohio. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy. He served in the Navy for nine years with a tour of duty in Vietnam.
On March 19, 1970, he married Betty Cusma. They were remarried in the Russian Orthodox Church on Feb. 23, 2003. He and his family had lived in Nondalton, Seattle, Anchorage and Sterling.
Mr. Cunningham worked for the IBEW for many years as a journeyman. He retired in 1999. After retiring, he and his family moved to Sterling and founded "Country Living," an assisted living home for the elderly.
He devoted his life to his wife, his family and his love for fishing.
"He enjoyed fishing so much that if you didn't find him at home, you would definitely find him down on the river fishing away. His generosity and kind heart were an inspiration to his family and friends. He will be greatly missed, but he will live on in our hearts forever," his family said.
Mr. Cunningham was preceded in death by his father, John V. Cunningham I.
He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Betty of Sterling; son, John V. Cunningham II and his partner, Lucille Stickman of Anchorage; daughters, Angela M. Marks and Brenda D. Cunningham of Sterling; grandchildren, Jose "Joey" Salinas, Shawn Trefon, Denise J. and Terri Lynn VanDyke and Jarynn R. Cunningham; mother and stepfather, Lovie and Willy Johnson of Cooper Landing; sister and brother-in-law, Rose and Jim Scaggs of Sterling; mother-in-law, Agnes Cusma of Nondalton; brother-in-law, Paul Cusma Jr. and his wife, Jeanne of Naknek; his best friends, Rusty and Secoro Rubeck of Wasilla; numerous nieces and nephews; great-nieces and -nephews; and "old fishing cronies" on the Kenai Peninsula, in Anchorage and Bristol Bay.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church, 1106 Mission Ave., Kenai, AK 99611, the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association or American Diabetes Association.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
