James H. Cunningham – Belle Vernon

The Lord opened his arms and brought James H. Cunningham Jr., of Belle Vernon, to a new life on Thursday, May 27, 2021, after battling a three-month illness. A son of the late Howard and Pearl Phillip Cunningham, he was born May 5, 1936, on Indian Hill, Rostraver Township. Jim graduated from Monessen High School, Class of 1954. He was proud to have served our country in the U.S. Army, serving a tour of duty in Korea as a surveyor on the DMZ line. He retired in 1986 after 30 years from the Monessen plant of the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Company in the steam department. He also retired after 20 years as a bus driver for the Belle Vernon Area School District. He had a love for the outdoors and spent hours manicuring his shrubs and trimming his lawn. He was a perfectionist at all he did. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and loved spending family time with each and every one of them. He especially enjoyed his summer vacations at the beach with his family. He is survived by his loving wife, Joyce Bucci Cunningham, with whom he would have celebrated 63 years of marriage on July 5, 2021. He was the proud father of a son, James J. Cunningham and his wife Lynn of Sewickley; daughter, Jackie Eck and husband Gregg of   East Stroudsburg; four grandchildren, Victoria Cunningham of Biltmore Lake, N.C., Aaron Cunningham and fiancée McKenna Bergman of Charlotte, N.C., Nicole Eck of Essex, Md., and Gregory Eck of East Stroudsburg; one sister, Cindy Phillips and husband Jeff of Dawson; brother-in-law, Joe Bucci and wife Theresa of Canandaigua, N.Y.; sister-in-law, Dolores Becken and husband Irv of Ontario, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Joyce Waldow; mother-in-law, Jennie Bucci Merando; sister-in-law, Elizabeth Frank and husband Anthony; sister-in-law, Marie Valente and husband Dominick; brother-in-law, Michael Bucci and wife Helen; niece, Annette Valente; nephew Michael Bucci; and great-great-nephew, Samuel Grimm. Friends will be received from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 2, 2021, at FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY INC., 700 Broad Ave., Belle Vernon, 724-929-5300, www.FergusonFuneralHomeandCrematory.com. A blessing will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home with the Rev. James Bump officiating. Entombment will follow in Belle Vernon Cemetery.