CUNNINGHAM, Bill L. “Bulldog” was born on May 3, 1931 in Dallas, Texas. He passed away on April 24, 2016 following a year-long fight with prostate cancer. Bulldog grew up in East Dallas, and was the youngest of three boys. Bulldog graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1949 where he was a star on the championship football team. He went on to play football at Midwestern Texas State University for one season before he withdrew from college to join the United States Marine Corps. Upon finishing basic training, he shipped out to Korea where he served as a Master Gunnery Sargent and tank commander. During his tour of duty, he was wounded three times and awarded a Purple Heart, and was returned to the states where he finished his service as a drill instructor at Camp Pendleton. It was during his service in the Marines that he met his wife of almost 62 years, Mina Sue Pettey Cunningham. They met at Louann’s dance club, which was located at Lovers and Greenville (now the site of Central Market). Upon returning to Dallas after completing his Marine Corps service, Mina and Bulldog were married on June 12, 1954.
Together they raised four boys, Gregory Scott Cunningham, Sr., Vickers Lee Cunningham, Sr., William Palmer Cunningham and Michael Ross Cunningham, Sr. Bulldog is survived by his wife, all four boys, eight grandchildren and one great-grandson. Bulldog made a life-long passion out of his chosen profession of insurance. Bulldog based his insurance company in East Dallas, originally located at the corner of Greenville and Richmond, and then in the Lakewood Bank Building since the mid-1980s. He was a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Round Table. In the last year of his life he was still a national top 10% producer for Safeco Insurance. During the latter part of his career, Bulldog was an active political volunteer, philanthropist and community organizer. He served in numerous positions of organizations as the President, Dallas Golf Association, Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Habitat for Humanity, City of Dallas Planning & Zoning Commission, Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee, Chairman, City of Dallas Productivity and Innovation Commission, Vice-Chairman, Dallas Citizens Review Board, Secretary of the North Texas Crime Commission and Vice-Chairman, North Texas Crime Stoppers Committee. Foreman, Dallas County Grand Jury. He was inducted into the Woodrow Wilson High School Hall of Fame in 2004.
His family will receive visitors at First Baptist Church, 1707 San Jacinto, Dallas on Saturday, May 7th from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. A funeral service in his honor will be held at the same location immediately following visitation at 2:30 pm. Interment will follow a funeral procession to Sparkman Hillcrest Cemetery with full military honors, including a 21-gun salute. Everyone is invited to attend.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18