Harrell W Cunningham

Harrell Wilson Cunningham, a resident of Cocoa since 1951, passed away on January 27, 2018. He was 91 years old. He was born January 16, 1927 and grew up on a farm three miles west of Jennings, FL. He was a veteran of World War II, serving sixteen months at Clark Air Base on Luzon Island in the Philippines as a company supply Sergeant. After his military service, he attended the University of Florida under the GI Bill and received a BS degree in Agriculture. He came to Brevard County in 1951 as the Assistant County Agricultural Agent and served in that capacity until 1963 when he began working with the Corps of Engineers managing the lease back program of orange groves to their former owners. In 1964 he began working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the Merritt Island Launch Area (MILA) as Chief of the Heavy Equipment-Roads and Grounds Maintenance Section. He received a Silver Snoopy award from NASA in 1980 and retired after 36 years of service on January 3, 1987.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years Dorothy Cunningham. Survivors include daughters Melanie Duncan (Doug) of Cocoa and Lindy Kocol (Bobby) of Broomfield, CO; granddaughters Brooke Wagner (Tommy) of Oro Valley, AZ and Jamie Kocol (Justin) of Broomfield, CO; great-granddaughter, Noelle Wagner and brother, Louis S. Cunningham of Lakeland, FL. He was also preceded in death by his second wife and childhood friend, the former Tamsey Kelly of Jennings, FL.

Family will receive friends Friday morning, February 2nd, from 10-10:30 am, at Brevard Memorial Funeral Home, 5475 N U.S. Hwy 1, Cocoa, with funeral services to follow. Burial will be at Brevard Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Vitas Healthcare, Melbourne, FL.