Obituary - Arthur Warren Cunningham
Arthur "Warren" Cunningham Sr., 84, of Amherst, died April 10 in
Lynchburg General Hospital after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife
of 63 years, Betty Rush Cunningham.
Born on Dec. 6, 1924, in Holston, he was the ninth of eleven children born
to the late Arthur Cummings Cunningham and the late Ida Hutton Cunningham. A
veteran of WWII, Warren served the U.S. Army as a rifleman/BAR man in the
European theater from March 1944 to December 1945. He was assigned to A
Company, Texas 36th Infantry Division. His was the first company to land on
the beach at Angiego, Italy, as well as making a beach landing in southern
France. Warren was engaged in the Battle of the Bulge and was one of the
only five survivors of the "Last Battalion."
Upon completion of his military service, Warren returned to his childhood
home in Washington County, soon married, began farming and started a family.
Realizing the difficulties of supporting a family on tobacco farming, he
sought more lucrative employment with the railroad. After a few years of
employment with the Southern Railroad, he was transferred to Monroe. After
almost 30 years of service with Southern, Warren retired to pursue his
lifelong passions of hunting, fishing, cooking and gardening. With farming
in his blood and a generous spirit, the bounty from his garden was shared
and enjoyed by family, neighbors and friends alike. Just a few weeks ago he
was checking out his tractor with memories of past seasons and dreams of new
ones.
Known affectionately by his grandchildren as "Paw-Paw," he loved having his
family around him and departed this life surrounded by their love.
In addition to his parents, Warren was preceded in death by brothers, Wiley,
Henry and Ray Cunningham; and sisters, Rittie Miller and Nell Payne.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by son, Arthur Warren Cunningham Jr.
and wife, Lynn, of Amherst; daughter, Irene Cunningham Dean and husband, J.
W., of Monroe, son; Larry Richard Cunningham and wife, Lucy, of Riner; one
brother, James "Jim" Cunningham and wife, Dorothy, of Bristol; four sisters,
Lucile McCroskey, Flora Bott and Allie Fraley, all of Abingdon and Ruth
Walker, of Suffolk; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; as well as
numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were conducted April 13 at Whitten Monelison Chapel by the
Rev. Larry Jent. Interment, with military honors provided by American Legion
Post 16, followed in Briarwood Memorial Gardens.