Richard Cunningham

Richard Cunningham, 99, of Waco, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 22, 2021 after a brief illness.  A Funeral Service will be 11 am, Saturday, February 27, 2021 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home.  A Visitation with the family will be an hour prior.  Interment will be 11 am, March 2, at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen. Face masks and social distancing will be required.

Dick was born March 28, 1921 to Leslie and Lenora Cunningham in New Salisbury, Ohio, the oldest of four children.  After a childhood of hunting, fishing, ice skating and baseball, Richard joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in Montana.  He then enlisted in the U.S. Navy September 25, 1940.  He was a Chief Boatswain’s Mate on the U.S.S. West Virginia, which was sent to join the fleet at Pearl Harbor in Oahu and was present when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  He was a proud survivor of the Pearl Harbor bombing and returned for the 60th anniversary.

He spent his career working in aerodynamics at both Rocketdyne and General Dynamics and retired from the Rohan Company in Waco. He married Patty Westerfeld in 1984.  He was very creative and industrious; in retirement he enjoyed painting, carpentry, music, was an avid golfer and even refurbished a home in Crawford. Dick was a Mason for 50 years and a member of First Woodway Baptist Church.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 36 years, Patty; daughters, Linda Toth (Robert), Gail Klatil (Dennis), Karen Allen (LaVon), Donna Zimmerman (Bobby); 11 grandchildren; and numerous great grandchildren.

Registry for Richard Cunningham