Albais Joseph Cunningham Jr.

ALBAIS JOSEPH CUNNINGHAM, JR. Albais Joseph Cunningham, Jr. (Newt), 85, of Sebastian, Florida passed away on Friday, Sept. 2, 2005 in Lakewood, CO. Born Jan. 13, 1920 in Washington, DC, he was the son of the late Albais and Isabel (Dykes) Cunningham. He was predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Miriam Lu Ella (Rothrock) Cunningham, when she passed away in Frederick, MD on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2005. He leaves behind five children: Patricia (and husband Martin Coy) of Frederick, MD; Gerald (and wife Brenda) of Upland, CA; Lawrence (and wife Roberta) of Lakewood, CO; Karen of Sebastian, FL; and Brian (and wife Maria) of Lakewood, CO; eight grandchildren: Christopher Coy; Michael, Scott, Matthew, Angela, Daniel, Renee and David Cunningham. The last of his line of descendancy, he was predeceased by his brothers, James, Charles, and John; his sister, Isabel; and his granddaughter, Melanie Cunningham. Albais was a proud veteran of World War II. He and Miriam were married Oct. 9, 1942 and soon after, he was inducted into the U.S. Army at Camden, NJ on Jan. 20, 1943. He entered into Active Service on Jan. 28, 1943, and was shipped overseas on Oct. 31, 1944 to serve with the 26th Regulating Station in the Rhineland and in Central Europe as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps. A recipient of the Army Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 campaign stars, the World War II Victory Medal, and the U.S. Army of Occupation World War II Service Medal with Germany Foreign Service Clasp, he was separated and honorably discharged from Active Duty on Jan. 12, 1946. He was an active member of American Legion Post 189 in Sebastian, FL where he and his wife resided after his retirement as an Agent Emeritus from the Prudential Insurance Company in Maryland in 1981. Albais and his wife resided in Hyattsville and Lanham, MD following the war and working first with Jewell Tea Co. and later Prudential. Albais attended Saint Sebastian Catholic Church in Sebastian, FL prior to moving to Lakewood, CO early this year. Albais' family will always be grateful to the angels from Hospice of Lutheran Medical Center. A 9 a.m. funeral service took place Mon., Sept. 5, 2005 at Advantage Mortuary, 6425 W. Alameda Ave., Lakewood, CO, where the family received friends and relatives. He will be returned to Maryland to be buried next to his wife and his mother in Ft. Lincoln Cemetery, Brentwood, MD. Graveside services are pending. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions may be made to American Legion Post 189, Sebastian, FL 32958.