Passionate and prolific writer made most of life
BEFORE he died, Gerald Cunningham said he’d had a great life — and if he could do it all again, he would not change a thing.
The Central Otago historian died in Brisbane, after suffering a stroke, on July 1. He was 73.
Gerald Garrick Cunningham was born in Dunedin on September 3, 1945, the second of four children to Gordon Cunningham and Margaret Loughnan.
The family moved to Omakau, where Mr Cunningham spent his early years, but returned to Dunedin, where he started school. He attended North East Valley Primary School, Ida Valley School and Dunedin North Intermediate.
His fondest memories of the
Dunedin years were the endless days playing in Chingford Park, which he referred to as his back yard.
He had a small, tightknit group of friends who made Chingford their playground, where the only rule was to be home before dark. Mr Cunningham would often return to Chingford in his later years, recalling those special times.
When he was 13, the family moved to Remuera, and he attended Auckland Grammar School. He made a lifetime of fond memories and a deep connection to the school.
As a teenager, he hit the party scene most weekends and would often be spotted in a duffle coat and dark sunglasses — which he could never see through at night but were cool.
In his early 20s, Mr Cunningham spent a number of years drifting around Australia and living rough.
In 1968, he returned to New Zealand, and shortly afterwards, a friend set him up on a blind date where he would meet the love of his life, Susan Armitage.
After a fouryear romance, they were married on June 17, 1972.
Mr Cunningham began a successful art importing company called Company 45, and he and Susan started their family in 1974 with the birth of their son, Dugan. He was followed two years later by their daughter, Phoebe.
In 1978, they sold Company 45 and took a sixmonth caravan trip with their family around the North Island. This was followed by the first of many trips to Rarotonga, where they spent many months ‘‘loafing’’, according to Mr Cunningham.
In 1981, the family settled in Remuera, where Gerald and Susan spent the next 30 years working and raising their family.
Mr Cunningham was a temp accounts clerk for various companies in Auckland before retiring in 2001, when the couple returned to Central Otago, settling in Lauder.
Shortly after this move, he found his passion for writing and became a highly successful author and photographer.
He wrote 10 books, nine of which were printed while he was alive. They included guides to the Central Otago and Alps 2 Ocean cycle trails, an illustrated history of Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes district, and books on the Taieri Gorge Railway and Skippers/Shotover River.
An avid historian, he was particularly interested in the world wars, and spent many hours in recent years correcting mistakes made on Central Otago war memorials.
Mr Cunningham was proud to establish the Mabel McKnight Award at Dunstan High School about 25 years ago. Named for the McKnight family from Oturehua, where Mr Cunningham spent many happy holidays during his primary school years, the award is given each year to the best allround year 9 girl.
He and Susan travelled extensively in retirement, escaping the South Island winter for several months each year.
Mr Cunningham’s four granddaughters were his joy. Time spent with grandpa meant endless treats, breakfast in bed with him, playing with his toys in his office, and receiving an education on his favourite music from the 1960s.
He is survived by wife Susan, children Dugan Cunningham and Phoebe Cunningham Tyler, and granddaughters Lauren, Holly, Emily and Mia.