WILLIAM JOSEPH CUNNINGHAM
1926-2018
William J. Cunningham completed his lifelong service to God and humanity March 16 at the age of 92. His death from cancer occurred just a few hours after he attended the funeral of his beloved wife, Patricia.
He was, above all, a man of peace who built his diplomatic and educational careers upon the principles of human understanding and cooperation between people of different cultures. His dual careers included 32 years as a Foreign Service Officer of the United States Department of State, followed by his 11-year leadership of the Center for International Studies at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX.
His keen foresight led to his greatest achievement. A firmly positive response to a 1971 initiative from the People’s Republic of China eventually resulted in the historic establishment of diplomatic relations between that nation and the United States.
Bill was born in Santa Monica, California, the oldest son of Dr. and Mrs. William C. Cunningham. The family soon moved to Lancaster, California, where he received most of his elementary and high school education in public schools.
He was sworn into the US Navy in 1943, and became a commissioned naval officer in 1946, serving mainly on sea duty until his release from active service in June 1947. He then completed undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of New Mexico.
In 1949, Bill began his diplomatic career as a member of the United States Department of State. His foreign service included assignments in the former Czechoslovakia, France, Korea, Japan (twice), Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, and the United States Mission to the United Nations.
He was a member of 11 Houston organizations devoted to international cooperation and chairman, president, or board member of three of them. He lectured widely throughout his two careers and won numerous awards and honors, most recently the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Houston Chapter of the United Nations Association October 24, 2017 and the Global Service Award from the University of St. Thomas in December 2017.
Mr. Cunningham was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Patricia; his parents; his infant sister, Anne-Marie Cunningham; and his adult sister, Mary Ann Reilly. He is survived by his brother, Carl Cunningham of Houston, TX, his five children: Anne (Ralph) Hedian of Cheverly, MD; Theresa (Padraig) Doolan of Riva, MD; Marie-Claire (Earl Rix) Cunningham of New York, NY; Peggy “Pegeen” Bush of Corinth, TX, and William Joseph (June) Cunningham, Jr. of Millersville, MD; three nieces, a nephew, eleven grandchildren; and seven greatgrandchildren.
Viewing will be from 5-8 p.m. Friday, March 23 at Earthman-Bellaire, 4525 Bissonnet St., Bellaire, TX. Funeral services are scheduled at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 24 in the Chapel of St. Basil on the University of St. Thomas campus, 3800 Montrose Blvd in Houston. He will be interred along with his late wife at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Silver Spring, MD.
Flowers will not be displayed at the viewing or at the funeral. In lieu of flowers,
donations may be made to Catholic Relief Services, or to The University of St. Thomas’ Center for International Studies’ Distinguished Diplomat Program, or to The University of St. Thomas’ Ann Q . Tiller Endowed Scholarship in International Studies via www.stthom.edu/ give
Donations may be mailed to: Center for International Studies, c/o Dr. Hans Stockton, University of St. Thomas 3800 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77006
Please indicate DDP or Tiller in the memo line.