Born February 12, 1933, in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and passed from this life March 14, 2019
Gerry is preceded in death by only two weeks by her only true love, Ernest L. Cunningham. Also preceding her in death was her father, Dominick and mother Margaret Stankavich, her sister Margie Carmichael, her brother Donald “Ski” Stankavich.
Gerry leaves behind her legacy in her surviving family members: Son Mark Douglas Cunningham and wife Maggie of Forney, Texas; Daughter Marcia Ann Williams and husband Harold of Texarkana, Texas; Daughter Jennifer Marie Bean-Bearden and husband Matt of Grand Prairie, Texas; Daughter JoAnna Trussell and her husband Ricky of Mansfield, Texas; Son Donald Paul Cunningham of Arlington, Texas; and Ernest Charles Cunningham and wife Lynn of Midlothian, Texas.
Her successors also include 22 Cunningham grandchildren: Blair, Cordell, Bianca, Marcus, Bria, Blake, Taylore, Clay, Charles Maxwell, Cade, and Kyle; Meredith grandchildren: Preston, Travis, Matthew; Bean grandchildren: Noelle and Isabella; Starks/Williams grandchildren: Cydney, Camryn and Cody; Trussell grandchildren: Joshua, Jessie and Jenna.
Finally, the Cunningham legacy will continue with great-grandchildren: Mackenzie and Joshua, Cord and Cooper, Lilliana, Violet and Dylan, Jace and Lanna, Tate and Ava, Alana and Evaly Rose. Two more great-grandchildren are yet to be revealed!
Gerry was a 2nd generation United States born Lithuanian whose grandparents migrated to America during the Bolshevik Revolution. Raised as a Catholic, it was recently discovered that her history proved to be that of Jewish ancestry, of which she was proud to claim! She grew up in the small town of Dubois, Pennsylvania, and lost her mother at an early age. She and her sisters had a very tough life caring for their dying mother while trying to attend school and care for their home. After Gerry graduated from high school, she left on her trek to the other side of the states to be with her brother, Ski, and her sister Margie in Barstow, California. The youngest sibling, Mary Jane, would soon come after!
Ernie was a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton and found himself along with some Marine Corp buddies, attending a downtown dance sponsored by the USO in Barstow. There, he saw Gerry for the first time and it was love at first sight. The pursuit was on! After a short time of playing hard-to-get, Gerry decided to give him a dance and he held her cheek-to-cheek for the first time. Their first date together, he very confidently told her that he was taking her to Texas and they would have beautiful children! Of course, she thought he was insane, but six months later, they were married in a little chapel in Las Vegas.
After Ernie’s discharge from the Corp, they journeyed to Texas where Ernie was from, and Gerry was immediately received into the Cunningham clan! Her dream was always to be a good wife and mother and keep a good home for her family, of which she did very well. Gerry was a beautiful seamstress and sewed for her girls when they were young, taught them to sew, to cook and clean and hang clothes out on the line. It was a daunting task, keeping this crew of 8 clean, fed, schooled and churched...all on a shoestring budget, but together with an amazing husband and provider and with God, she was the Proverbs 31 virtuous woman.
As a young mother, she had her children in church every Sunday and introduced them to God’s great love. All of her children know Jesus because of her! Every Christmas, every Easter, every 4th of July was a special event for her. She was determined to make every holiday a lasting memory for her children.
Gerry’s faith in God grew tremendously over the years. Later in life, when her children were out of the nest, she and husband, Ernie, would start a ministry to shut-ins in a local nursing home, visiting every week and encouraging them with God’s word. For many years, even as senior citizens, they would faithfully clean the pastor’s large family area in their church every week. She lived her life always being a servant to others. She grew into a powerful woman of prayer who could touch God in any tough situation, but was quickly grateful to Him when He answered. She loved attending church with Ernie at her side, and together they worshiped! They were faithful members of Gateway Church in Grand Prairie, Texas.
This last year of her life was spent doing what she lived to do every single day, and that was to take care of her husband. Ernie battled pancreatic cancer, and throughout every hospital stay, every doctor appointment, every chemo visit...she was there right by his side. Never showing exhaustion...always faithful, Ernie was never alone. God used her so powerfully during that time. Again, she demonstrated what love and care really looked like.
The final visit for the two of them was her trip to his funeral, as she and Ernie were hospitalized at the same time. In death, just like in her life, she had to be with him, her one true love. They spent 65 years together in marriage, and now will spend an eternity together in God’s presence.
Geraldine Marie Cunningham,
Caring daughter and sister
Devoted wife and mother
Godly and committed to her Savior
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