Allen Townes Cunningham

Katherine Allen Townes Cunningham, 72, died on July 13, 2024, following a long journey with cancer which she faced with courage and grace. Allen was born in New Orleans on April 10, 1952, while her father was completing his medical degree at Tulane University. Her immediate family returned to Grenada, Mississippi which was home for generations to both maternal and paternal sides of her family. Growing up in Grenada in the '60s was both turbulent and idyllic. She was surrounded by close family and friends, and formed in faith within the First United Methodist Church where she sang in the choir.
Music was important to Allen who at a young age learned to play the piano and ukulele; she later sang in her high school's sextet. Also during high school, she was judged Most Beautiful - a distinction that as much mystified Allen as it honored her. After graduating from John Rundle High School in 1970, she attended the University of Mississippi where she developed a deep loyalty to all things Ole Miss. Allen was a member of Kappa Delta sorority and served as president of her pledge class. She served on the Committee of 100, a religious emphasis group. In 1972, Allen made her debut through the Southern Debutante Assembly. After graduating in Education in 1974, Allen began her long career as an elementary school teacher, a profession to which she was deeply devoted. She loved her students and exhibited a special compassion for and patience with those who struggled academically, as Allen had learned to live with her own learning differences during her years in school. Allen spent over 20 years teaching in the Richardson and Hyer school districts while living in Dallas, Texas, where she developed very close, loving friendships. She was an active member of Highland Park Presbyterian Church, serving as a deacon and singing in the choir.
Allen returned to Jackson, Mississippi to marry Julian Douglas Cunningham, an Ole Miss icon, thus making a long-time hope come true. She worked for Madison Station Elementary School in Madison, Mississippi. She was an active member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, where she served as a deacon, sang in the choir, and participated in children's ministry. After ten years of a happy marriage, Doug died of CTE, a brain injury common to many professional football players. Allen later enjoyed a long-term friendship with Jack "Bouncer" Robertson, a loving companion with whom she shared social outings, especially supporting Ole Miss sporting events.
Allen was the daughter of Annie Katherine Allen Townes and Dr. Robert Burwell Townes, Jr. She is survived by her adoring younger brother, Robert Burwell Townes IV, who shared her birthday; sister-in-law The Rev. Lynnsay Anne Buehler; and nephew Robert Buehler Townes. She is also survived by her cherished stepmother, Linda Spain Townes, and stepbrothers Troy Blakely Townes and Richard Todd Townes, wife Krista and nephews Price and Parker; stepchildren Maddie and Mitchell Weldon; and first cousins Miller Allen Mitchell Ferrie, John Cole Mitchell (deceased) and Andrew Roane Townes, Jr., and many other cousins and dear friends.
The family is grateful to Vaughan and Nora Frances McRae for their hospitality and support during the final months of Allen's decline in health; to Ms. Tammie Hayes for her care and management of Allen's household affairs; to the compassionate sitters of Southern Healthcare Agency; to the hospice nurses of AccentCare Home Health for their professionalism; and to the offices of Dr. Paul Seago and Dr. Rebekah Moulder of St. Dominic Hospital system. We are deeply grateful to Allen's dear friends who so generously and lovingly supported her throughout her illness.
On July 19, a visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 4000 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, Mississippi, and the funeral will begin at 11:00. A graveside service will be held at 4:00 p.m. at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Grenada, Mississippi, 1019 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Doug Cunningham Memorial Fund established at the University of Mississippi, or to Covenant Presbyterian Church.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.mckibbenandguinn.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service in Grenada, (662-307-2694).
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