Joan "Donna" A. Cunningham

After a long battle with cancer, Joan “Donna” A. Cunningham answered the call of the Lord on September 8th, 2023, in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Joan was born on May13th, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois to Nigel and Estelle Cunningham. After attending Catholic grammar school and high school, she attended Mt. Saint Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas. Following her freshman year, she entered the Benedictine community of sisters and was given the name of Sister Donna. She then began her long & loving journey of teaching and parish ministry. She held a bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degrees in education administration and theology, with an emphasis in sacramental and pastoral ministry. She loved the many years she spent teaching young children & working with adults as a Benedictine Sister.

After many years dedicated to the convent, Sr. Donna felt called to return to the Chicago area as a lay person to help her sister & brother with the care of their aging parents. During that time, she was also fortunate to be able to work in two parishes as a Pastoral Associate before she retired, the last one being Our Lady of the Wayside in Arlington Hts.

In 2015, Joan “Donna” joined the Oblates of St. Benedict in Atchinson, KS which is the lay component of the Benedictine Order in which she served.

She is survived by her siblings Rita (Edward) Dickey and Thomas (Kathy) Cunningham, her nieces and nephews Stephen (Amy) Dickey, Joanne (Dave) Metzger, Paul (Marcia) Dickey, Thomas (Georgianne) Dickey, Erin (Tom) Gilchrist, and Michael (Kelly) Cunningham, her great nieces and great nephews Jonothon, Amanda (Peter), Alicia, Ryne, Michael (Laynie), Matthew, CJ, Andrew, Keira, Reilly, Lauren, Jackson, Ezra and Finn, and great-great nieces and nephew Eleanor, Gabriel, and Liliana

She is preceded in death by her parents.

A visitation will take place from 2:00 pm until 6:00 pm on Sunday, September 17th, 2023, at Glueckert Funeral Home, 1520 N. Arlington Heights Rd. Arlington Heights, IL 60004. A visitation will also take place on Monday, September 18th, 2023, from 10:00 am until time of the Funeral Mass at 11:00 am at Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church, 440 South Mitchell Ave. Arlington Heights, IL 60005. Private interment at Elmwood Cemetery, River Grove, IL on a later date.

The funeral mass will be live streamed, please use the link listed below.

Funeral Information and condolences can be given at www.GlueckertFH.com or (847) 253-0168.