Frank Joseph Cunningham
April 24th, 1941 - August 1st, 2023
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Frank's Obituary
Francis (Frank) Joseph Cunningham, 82, passed away peacefully at his home in South Haven, Michigan, on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. He was surrounded by close family friends, his four children and his wife of 59 years.
Frank was born in Albany, New York on April 24, 1941. He was the fourth of five children born to Christopher and Agnes Cunningham. Growing up in Albany, he excelled in school and dreamed of traveling the world. He earned his college tuition by playing saxophone in a band. He served as an editor of the student newspaper and graduated from Siena College in 1963 with a history degree. He later received his Master’s degree in Linguistics from St. Michael’s College in Vermont.
Following graduation from Siena College, Frank backpacked across Europe, settling for a few months in Rome while working in a youth hostel. It was at that youth hostel that he met Sue Dorgan, who was hitchhiking across Europe. He often told the story of taking Sue’s dinner order in the youth hostel dining room, while working up the courage to offer her a tour of the sites of Rome. Sue and Frank married in September 1964 in her hometown of Rice Lake, Wisconsin. They started their family in a converted schoolhouse in Albany, NY, later moving to Burlington, Vermont, where Frank served as Editor for the Vermont Catholic Tribune.
With a mutual love of travel and adventure, Frank and Sue moved to Guam in 1970, where Frank taught Writing in the English Department at the University of Guam, while also writing for and editing the travel magazine Glimpses of Guam, which focused on travel destinations in the Western Pacific. Frank eventually took a position with Ave Maria Press at the University of Notre Dame while continuing to teach and write. He worked at Ave Maria for twenty-seven years as the first lay-person Publisher until his retirement in 2005. He was a writer at heart and publisher by trade. He enjoyed the time provided by retirement to publish various articles in publications such as Notre Dame Magazine. His book, Vesper Time, a reflection on the spiritual practice of growing older is now in its 8th printing.
Frank and Sue opened their doors to all, often hosting authors, foreign exchange students and anyone in need of a bit of home. In 1980, they hosted Khamsing Manyvong, then a refugee from Laos. Khamsing and his wife Vilaylak remain part of the Cunningham family to this day. Frank and Sue built their own home on the shores of Lake Michigan to create a gathering place for family and friends alike. Frank cultivated community with his intellect, gentle demeanor and thoughtful insights whether walking the Camino de Santiago or having coffee with the South Haven ROMEOS. He walked amazing destinations all around the world including New Zealand, Scotland, Spain, Portugal. His distinctive head of white hair was a frequent sight walking along South Haven's North Shore Drive.
Frank is survived by his wife Sue and his four children: Chip, Stephanie (Ryon Rich), Ken (Ginger Petroff) and Sally Failma (Dr. Ramel Failma). Frank was a charming and beloved grandfather to seven grandchildren: Maxwell, Dawson, Shelby, Peter, Danny, Mira and Ethan. He is also survived by his sister Marcia Toole, numerous treasured nieces and nephews, and a community of unrelated family members.
Visitation for Frank will be held at St. Basil Catholic Church 513 Monroe Blvd, South Haven, Michigan, 49090, Wednesday, August 9, 2023 from 10 a.m. until the time of the Memorial Mass at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to ; Caring Circle Hospice. To view Frank’s personal webpage please visit www.starksfamilyfuneralhomes.com Arrangements have been entrusted to Filbrandt Chapel-Starks Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Services. 269-637-0333
Frank was born in Albany, New York on April 24, 1941. He was the fourth of five children born to Christopher and Agnes Cunningham. Growing up in Albany, he excelled in school and dreamed of traveling the world. He earned his college tuition by playing saxophone in a band. He served as an editor of the student newspaper and graduated from Siena College in 1963 with a history degree. He later received his Master’s degree in Linguistics from St. Michael’s College in Vermont.
Following graduation from Siena College, Frank backpacked across Europe, settling for a few months in Rome while working in a youth hostel. It was at that youth hostel that he met Sue Dorgan, who was hitchhiking across Europe. He often told the story of taking Sue’s dinner order in the youth hostel dining room, while working up the courage to offer her a tour of the sites of Rome. Sue and Frank married in September 1964 in her hometown of Rice Lake, Wisconsin. They started their family in a converted schoolhouse in Albany, NY, later moving to Burlington, Vermont, where Frank served as Editor for the Vermont Catholic Tribune.
With a mutual love of travel and adventure, Frank and Sue moved to Guam in 1970, where Frank taught Writing in the English Department at the University of Guam, while also writing for and editing the travel magazine Glimpses of Guam, which focused on travel destinations in the Western Pacific. Frank eventually took a position with Ave Maria Press at the University of Notre Dame while continuing to teach and write. He worked at Ave Maria for twenty-seven years as the first lay-person Publisher until his retirement in 2005. He was a writer at heart and publisher by trade. He enjoyed the time provided by retirement to publish various articles in publications such as Notre Dame Magazine. His book, Vesper Time, a reflection on the spiritual practice of growing older is now in its 8th printing.
Frank and Sue opened their doors to all, often hosting authors, foreign exchange students and anyone in need of a bit of home. In 1980, they hosted Khamsing Manyvong, then a refugee from Laos. Khamsing and his wife Vilaylak remain part of the Cunningham family to this day. Frank and Sue built their own home on the shores of Lake Michigan to create a gathering place for family and friends alike. Frank cultivated community with his intellect, gentle demeanor and thoughtful insights whether walking the Camino de Santiago or having coffee with the South Haven ROMEOS. He walked amazing destinations all around the world including New Zealand, Scotland, Spain, Portugal. His distinctive head of white hair was a frequent sight walking along South Haven's North Shore Drive.
Frank is survived by his wife Sue and his four children: Chip, Stephanie (Ryon Rich), Ken (Ginger Petroff) and Sally Failma (Dr. Ramel Failma). Frank was a charming and beloved grandfather to seven grandchildren: Maxwell, Dawson, Shelby, Peter, Danny, Mira and Ethan. He is also survived by his sister Marcia Toole, numerous treasured nieces and nephews, and a community of unrelated family members.
Visitation for Frank will be held at St. Basil Catholic Church 513 Monroe Blvd, South Haven, Michigan, 49090, Wednesday, August 9, 2023 from 10 a.m. until the time of the Memorial Mass at 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation to ; Caring Circle Hospice. To view Frank’s personal webpage please visit www.starksfamilyfuneralhomes.com Arrangements have been entrusted to Filbrandt Chapel-Starks Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Services. 269-637-0333
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