Joseph J. Cunningham

Joseph J. Cunningham, 84, of Exeter, passed away on December 29, 2024 at his home. 

Born on July 9 1940 in Wilkes-Barre he was the son of the late James F. and Catherine Herron Cunningham. 

Joe was a member of Corpus Christi Parish at St. Anthony of Padua Church, Exeter.  He graduated from Myers High School Class of 1958 and served on their reunion committee. After graduation he joined the United States Air Force and was stationed in Katsabu, Alaska.

After serving his country for four years he returned to Wilkes-Barre and was employed by the American Red Cross Blood Center. It was there that he met his wife, Elizabeth Fortuna. They married in 1966. 

Joe went on to graduate from Penn State University with an associate degree in chemistry and went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at King’s College. 

He then went to work as an engineer at RCA Corporation in Mountaintop and Findlay, Ohio and Digital Equipment Corporation in Hudson, Massachusetts.   While working at Digital Equipment Corporation he also began running  on lunch with coworkers and friends.  He then went on to complete 3 marathons:  the New York City Marathon, the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC (which he ran with his son) and the Pittsburgh Marathon.  

After his retirement from engineering, he returned to Pennsylvania and was employed at the Wyoming Area School District as their computer systems manager. 

Joseph and Elizabeth have two children, Joseph Cunningham, Jr, Exeter, and MaryJo Cunningham and her husband John Helfrich, Exeter. They also have two grandchildren, Zachary and Alyssandra Pitcavage both students at Penn State. 

Also surviving are his sisters, Rita Miller, Wilkes-Barre and Kathleen Wallace of Austin, Texas, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death in addition to his parents are his brothers James F. Cunningham and John Cunningham and his brothers in law Harry Miller and Frank Wallace. 

Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation on Friday from 4-6pm at the Gubbiotti Funeral Home, LLC, 1030 Wyoming Ave., Exeter. 

Funeral will be on Saturday at 9:30 am from the funeral home.

A Mass of Christian burial will then follow at 10:00am at Corpus Christi Parish at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 224 Memorial St., Exeter. The Monsignor John Sempa, pastor, will be celebrant. 

Military Honors accorded by the Am Vets Honor Guard and Interment with Rite of Committal will be in St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Schooley St., Exeter. 

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tenn or a charity of your choice.

To send the family an expression of sympathy or an online condolence, please visit http://www.gubbiottifh.com 

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