Edward James Cunningham

Edward James Cunningham, 83
SCARBOROUGH - Edward James Cunningham, 83, died on March 2, 2016, in Portland, after a brief illness. He was predeceased by his wife of 54 years, Helen R. Cunningham, who passed away in October. They were married at St. Kevin's in Dorchester, Mass., on Nov. 4, 1961. Edward was born in Boston, Mass., on April 10, 1932, to John and Agnes Cunningham. He was a graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, Mass.
Ed went into the Air Force after high school during the Korean conflict. He served mostly as a radar tracker and mechanic, but was also a spotter for rescue operations and trained as a bombardier. He used to joke that for his training, he bombed New Orleans in a B-29. After the service, Ed became a revenue officer for the IRS where he worked until retirement. After taking a year off, Ed went right back to work full-time for another decade as a parking garage attendant. He used to like to tell funny stories about the people he saw every day coming in and out of the garage.
He was a member of the parish of Our Lady of Hope and a devout Catholic all of his life.
Ed was a lifelong reader and was especially interested in history and the lives of the saints, as well as other people who were on a spiritual quest. When he was younger, he enjoyed camping and traveling. As he got older, he could usually be found "puttering around" the house or in the back yard fixing something or working on a project. Ed liked to follow the Red Sox and Patriots and he had fond memories of going to Fenway Park as a boy in Boston. But what he liked most was to go out to eat with his wife and best friend, Helen, and visit his children and grandchildren. Ed had a sharp wit and could make his family laugh by poking fun at them and himself.
Ed is survived by his son Edward Cunningham of Portland, his daughter-in-law Jennifer Tingle, and their children Helen and William; his son Patrick Cunningham of Hallowell, his daughter-in-law Wendy Harper, and their children Charlotte and Josephine; his daughter Mary Bass of Woodstock, Ga., his son-in-law Chris Bass, and their children Colton and Carlene; his sister Francis Nuzzo of Leesburg, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass will be held at St. Pius X on Ocean Avenue in Portland on April 8 at 11 a.m. A reception will follow at the church hall. He and his wife Helen will be buried together in the Maine Veterans Cemetery, Springvale. Committal services will be private. To sign Ed's guestbook and leave memories and condolences for the family, please visit: www.advantageportland.com