Mr. Frank Renfro Cunningham
January 2, 2025
JOHNSON CITY - Mr. Frank Renfro Cunningham, 83, Johnson City, passed away peacefully, Thursday, January 2, 2025, at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather and will be greatly missed by his family.
He was a proud Veteran of the U.S. Army, having been commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation from ETSU in 1963 and served 2 years at Ft. Ord, California. He trained infantrymen during the Vietnam War and rose to first lieutenant before he left the military to return home to Tennessee.
As an industrial engineer, he worked for North American Rayon Company as well as Aerojet before retiring. During retirement, Frank loved nothing more than watching UT and ETSU sports and spending time with his family, even learning to text in order to keep in touch with his many grandchildren who live throughout the country. A lifelong Christian, Frank was raised a Methodist but was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church for 56 years, serving in leadership roles such as usher, council member, and superintendent of Sunday School. He also served as a little league and t-ball coach when his sons were young and regularly hosted football and baseball games in his yard for the neighborhood children.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Mary Lee Renfro Cunningham and his son, Scott Marshall Cunningham.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Ann Marshall Cunningham; daughters, Laura Fleming (Chuck), and Kristin Stafford (Rhett); son, Steve Cunningham (Betsy); grandchildren, Chuck Fleming (Erin Bratu), Katy Cassell (Alex), William Fleming (Merritt Dingess), Liz Watkins (Richmond), Austin Stafford (Raven), Caroline Stafford, Amanda Cunningham (Dylan Royston), Alex Cunningham, and Jacob Cunningham; great-grandchildren, Lillian Watkins and Lane Stafford.
The funeral service for Frank will be conducted Friday, January 10, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 212 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, TN 37604 with Rev. Jim Dumond and Pastor Jim Nipper, officiating. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the church. Pallbearers will be Frank's grandsons.
A private interment will be held Monday, January 13, 2025, for the family only.
Memorials can be made in Frank's memory to Our Savior Lutheran Church, 212 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, Tn. 37604 or to Tunnels to Towers Foundation at
https://t2t.org/donate/This obituary was lovingly written by the family.
Memories and condolences may be shared at
www.tetrickfuneralservices.com.
Tetrick Funeral Services, Johnson City, is honored to serve the Cunningham family (610-7171).
Published by Johnson City Press from Jan. 6 to Jan. 7, 2025.