Viola W. Cunningham

Mrs. Viola Warner Cunningham, daughter of Timothy E. and Maude M. Warner, was born June 5, 1918 in Wirt, Oklahoma where her father worked in the oil fields. The Warner family moved to Iraan, Texas where Viola completed high school. She earned a Baccalaureate degree in elementary education from Texas State College for Women in Denton, Texas. As a student at TSCW, Viola was lead trombonist in the University Swing Band. While attending TSCW, she became engaged to Ensign Howard Crow, who was killed at Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. As requested by the United States Navy, Miss Viola Elaine Warner was given the honor of christening the U.S.S. Crow, launched April 26, 1943. Viola Warner accepted a position as a first grade teacher in Port Arthur, Texas. She was lead trombonist with the Beaumont Symphony Orchestra. On July 15, 1944 she married Dwayne Winfield Cunningham, a chemical engineer employed by Texaco, Inc. During Mr. Cunningham’s career with Texaco the couple lived in Casper, Wyoming where their two daughters, Carolyn Ann and Judy, were born. Texaco transferred the family to Sunburst. Montana; Amarillo, Texas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham retired in Edmond, Oklahoma. Mrs. Viola Cunningham volunteered as a reading specialist in the Tulsa public school system, served as a Special Projects chairman and troop leader for the Girl Scouts in Amarillo, Texas, and served as a patroness of the Sigma Alpha Iota Honorary Music Fraternity in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Viola also enjoyed oil painting, music, wildflowers, rock collecting, traveling with family, spending time with her grandchildren and attending square dances. Mrs. Cunningham was preceded in death by her parents, Timothy E. and Maude M. Warner; her brother, Raymond O. Warner; her sister, Helen Louise Warner; her husband, Dwayne Winfield Cunningham; and her son-in-law, Steven Joseph Carson. She is survived by her daughter, Carolyn Ann Carson of Edmond, Oklahoma; her daughter, Judy Cunningham Ansteth and son-in-law William Richard Ansteth of Castle Rock, Colorado; her grandchildren, Stuart James Carson of Laguna, California; Christopher Cunningham Carson of Mahwah, New Jersey; Alexandra Elaine Ansteth of Tioga, Texas; and William Benjamin Ansteth of Castle Rock, Colorado. A Rosary will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at Baggerley Funeral Home Chapel beginning at 12p-12:30p and funeral services will follow the Rosary on Saturday at 1:00 pm at Resurrection Memorial Chapel with entombment at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery Mausoleum. Services entrusted to the care of Baggerley Funeral Home of Edmond, Oklahoma. www.baggerley.com