James J. Cunningham

James J. Cunningham, of Irwin, died March 11, 2025, at the age of 92, at Shadyside Hospital just a few blocks from the corner where he sold newspapers as a young boy. He enjoyed a wonderful life that was diminished only — and greatly — by the 2015 loss of Lorraine, his beloved wife of 57 years.
His health began to falter a month ago, and he had hoped that doctors would have been able to restore him to his 91-year-old self that had slowed but was still able to volunteer with United Way by driving seniors to their doctors’ appointments.
Jim was an accomplished driver. Following his service in the U.S. Marines motor pool during the Korean War, he worked for the Continental Baking Co. delivering Wonder Bread and Hostess cakes to stores throughout greater Pittsburgh. Following his retirement in 1994, he took on a part-time job filling the vending machines at Westmoreland Hospital, which fulfilled his need to socialize. Jim never met a stranger who didn’t walk away with one of his many entertaining stories.
He was born Sept. 13, 1932 to Edward John and Edith (Beatty) Cunningham and grew up in Bloomfield. His older brothers Edward John and Ralph predeceased him, as did his sisters-in-law, Eleanor Cunningham and Diane Novak and his brothers-in-law Charles Saar, Phillip Saar and Ralph Hamilton.
Jim outlived nearly all his friends and relatives, but he left, for safekeeping, many of their stories with his children, James J. (Mary Lou) Cunningham of Greensburg, Luanne C. (Richard) Rife of Roanoke, VA, Edward C. Cunningham, and Mary Lee Genes both of Greensburg; all of whom will miss his good morning texts filled with emojis and gifs of the day; his grandchildren, Jennifer Traud, Drew (Stacey) Cunningham, Pamela (James) McNally, Caleb (Ashley Chichester) Cunningham, Lisa C. (Tim Miller) Cunningham, James (Stacy Wickett) Cunningham, Jaclyn (Ryan) Labor, Loran (John) Allen, and Grace Williams; great-grandchildren, Jace and Taylor McNally; John, Wesley and Lilly Allen; Finley, Eve and Rose Cunningham; Collette and Wesley Cunningham; Logan, Cooper and Madalyn Labor; and sisters-in-law, Antoinette Hamilton, Maryann (Albert) Schneider and Mary Ellen Saar.
Friends and family will be received from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 14, at the William Snyder Funeral Home, 521 Main St., Irwin. Parting prayers will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 15, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10 a.m. in the Immaculate Conception Church, Irwin. He will be laid to rest next to his beloved wife at Penn Lincoln Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers a contribution can be made in Jim’s name to the United Way. For online condolences please visit www.snyderfuneralservices.com.