Alfred Eugene Cunha Jr.

Al was born on August 6, 1946, in Watsonville, California, the son of Alfred Eugene Cunha Sr. and Rose Marie Cunha. He grew up in Salinas, California, where he graduated from North Salinas High School in 1964. He later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Chico State University.

Al was a devoted son and shared a deep friendship with his only sister Diana Rivera, who passed away in 2023.

A longtime resident of Redding, California, Al is survived by his nieces, Dina Gray (Matt) of Brooklyn, New York, and Gina Johnson (Jake) of Anderson, California; his nephew, Joseph E. Rivera II (Lisa) of Redding, California; and his great-nieces and great-nephew, Sophia Rose Gray, Joseph E. Rivera III, and Charlotte April Rivera.

Al was a creative and artistic soul. He loved playing the accordion and the piano and was a devoted writer. He published four novels, including Dancing with Daffodil, the trilogy, Angels of the Caps and the play, Flower Child. His writing and life were deeply inspired by John Steinbeck, the beauty of the Salinas Valley, and his Italian and Portuguese heritage, which shaped his storytelling, values, and sense of family. Al will be remembered for his creativity, love of music and storytelling, and the deep cultural roots and landscapes that informed both his life and his art.