James A. Cunningham

Retired Army Sergeant First Class and local area businessman, James A. Cunningham, Sr., lost his battle with lung cancer on Tuesday, May 2003 atUniversity Specialty Hospital. He was 71 years old. Born on August 2, 1931, he was one of 15 children born to the late J. B. and Hattie A. (Richardson) Cunningham. Mr. Cunningham’s place of birth was Mobile, Alabama and he was raised on their family farm in Brewton, Alabama.Mr. Cunningham began working in the fields when he was 8-years old. To help out his family financially, he joined the Army when he was just 16-years old. Mr. Cunningham was a Tank Gunner and Drill Instructor and made the rank of Sergeant at the young age of 19. His Tank Battalion was the first of the military units to be integrated under President Truman during the Korean conflict. He also performed non-combat duty during two tours in Vietnam. Mr. Cunningham was accepted at West Point but opted to study Restaurant Management in the Army. He was an overseer of thousands of employees while Club Manager for Non-Commissioned Officers Clubs throughout most of his 26 years in the military. In 1964, he won the distinguished Kentucky Colonel Award for food and entertainment. Mr. Cunningham traveled extensively with the Army including stints at Ft. Knox and Ft. Campbell, Kentucky; Ingrandes, France; Ft. Sill, Oklahoma; Ft. Smith, Arkansas; Ft. Meade, Maryland, and finally retiring from the Army in 1974 in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.Mr. Cunningham was an avid golfer and played extensively throughout his adult life. He took advantage of the military golf coursed and enjoyed playing golf at Ft. Meade and Andrews Air Force Base with his Army buddies. In his late years, he was classified as a semi professional golfer and played for Amoco Corporation in their Senior Classic Tournaments in Hilton Head, North Carolina and the Bahamas.For 25 years, Mr. Cunningham was highly respected and successful business owner of several Amoco gas stations in the Baltimore area including Liberty Heights, Park Heights and Popular Grove. He was known as “Mr. C.” by those close to him and he was a father figure, role model and mentor to many of the young men who had come to work for himFor many years, Mr. Cunningham attended Christian Life Church on Liberty Road. In later years, he enjoyed sharing and spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and memorizing scriptures and reading his Bible. Before his illness, he was studying to be and evangelist under the spiritual guidance of Bishop Charles E. Givens of Baltimore. Mr. Cunningham was the husband of the late Hattie A. (Williams) Cunningham. He is survived by five sons: James, Jr., John and Kevin of Baltimore and Eugene and Dana of Fredericksburg, Virginia; daughters, Patricia of Baltimore and Kathryn of Taunton, Massachusetts. He also leaves behind eight sisters and brothers including: John of Baltimore, J.B., Craig, Anita, Ramona Watson, Carolyn Beverly LeVere of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Catherine of Los Angeles, California; family matriarch, Mrs. Annie B. Watson of Brewton, Alabama; nine grandchildren and a host of aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. Mr. Cunningham was also the brother of the late Walter Cunningham. In lieu of flowers, donations cam be sent to Christian Life Church, 6605 Liberty Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21207.

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James A. Cunningham

August 18, 1931 - May 13, 2003