PARIS George Lee Cunningham, Purple Heart veteran, loving husband of 67 years and beloved father, grandfather, and great grandfather, passed away on Friday, December 29, 2012 at the Veterans Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. He celebrated 90 years of life on August 17, 2012. A native of Ruddles Mill, he was the son of the late George Clay and Katie Hill Cunningham. He graduated from Ruddles Mill School in 1939, attended the University of Kentucky, and graduated from the University of South Florida, Tampa. George Lee was a Marine Corps veteran of World War II and an Army veteran of the Korean War where he received the Purple Heart, Silver Star, and Bronze Star. He had 32 years of combined military and civilian government service when he retired from the U.S. Department of Labor in 1977. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Paris. He is survived by his devoted wife, Margaret Jones Cunningham; three children, Norma Jean Corrales, Clay Cunningham, Paul Jones Cunningham; three grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a sister, Sue Cunningham Lotz; a brother, John B. Cunningham; and a grandson. Funeral services will be held 11am Thursday, January 3, at Hinton-Turner Funeral Home with burial in the Millersburg Cemetery. Visitation will be after 10am Thursday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the First United Methodist Church, Paris. hinton-turnerfuneralhome.com
Published in Lexington Herald-Leader on December 31, 2012
