Gladys Cunningham

1916 - 2012

Gladys Cunningham, 95, passed away March 13th 2012, in her Nampa home just as she had wished and is now with her heavenly Father. On April 16th, 1916, Gladys was born in Southport, Indiana. Since her mother died when she was two years old Gladys and her older sister Olive were raised by her father, Fred Combs and step-mother. When she was ten years old the family moved to the L.A. area. After graduating high school her father suggested that she should take an interest in a young customer of his from Missouri, Carl Cunningham. After all, she always thought her father knew best so she agreed to share ice cream and attend the races with Carl. After six weeks of courting Carl and Gladys were married for 65 years until his death in 2001. In 1939 the newly married couple moved to the Ozarks in Missouri to live on Carl's family farm. Gladys, a city girl, had a rude awakening when she moved to the sticks in the middle of nowhere. In 1941 Gladys' prayers were answered when the couple moved to Colorado where their daughter Gloria Cox was born. In 1953 they moved back to the L.A. area and lived there until Carl retired in 1977. After retiring the couple moved to Nampa, ID where they lived out the rest of their lives.
Gladys was a terrific wife, loving mother, and devoted grandmother. She was a very strong willed individual who was a marvelous cook and dessert maker. Her family was very important to her as well as crocheting and reading. Everyone that knew her thought of her as the sweetest and most loving person they had ever met. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, infant child, her sister Olive Mendoza and great-grandson, Damien Mendenhall. She is survived by her daughter Gloria and husband Claude H. "Sonny" Cox, her granddaughter, her two great-granddaughters Danielle and Laryssa Mendenhall, great-grandson Julian Jones, and her two great-great-grandchildren Dylan and Hailey Baker, all of Olympia, Washington, the many nieces and nephews, her step-grandchildren Terry and Cheri Arehart & Ken and Bunnie March, and also her little shadow Benji. The family would like to recognize Gladys' "adoptive" daughter Tina Clark and her daughter Christie Morgan who were both a blessing to Gladys and her family. A Special thank you to Doctor Dee, Pastor Steve Perotti, and the wonderful people at Treasure Valley Hospice. You will forever be in our hearts!
Memorial services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 17, 2012, at 1st Christian Church, Nampa, Idaho. Private family interment will be held at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Caldwell, Idaho. Please visit www.alsipfuneralchapel.com to view the full on line obituary and leave condolences for the family. The family has placed their trust in Alsip and Persons Funeral Chapel in Nampa for the final arrangements. 208-466-3545.