Martha Cunningham Monteith

1921 - 2019

Martha Cunningham Monteith COLUMBIA Funeral services for Mrs. Martha Cunningham Monteith will be held Friday 11:00 a.m. (viewing 10:00 a.m.) at Turner Memorial A.M.E. Church, with entombment to follow in the Greenlawn Memorial Park. Visitation will be held on Thursday 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. at the Leevy's Funeral Home, Taylor Street Chapel. Martha Elizabeth Cunningham Monteith, M.A., CCC-SLP, was born May 26, 1921 in Union, South Carolina, to the Reverend Dr. Bennie C. Cunningham, Sr. and Mrs. Fannie Gilliam Cunningham. She had one sibling, the late Bennie C. Cunningham, Jr. She was married to the late Dr. Henry D. Monteith, a well-known physician, banker, and community leader. As a leader and advocate for speech pathology, Mrs. Monteith worked tirelessly with lobbyists and secured state funding for speech pathologists. She received the "Honors of the Association," the highest award bestowed by the South Carolina Speech-Language-Hearing Association in recognition of her leadership and service. She was a Charter Member of the South Carolina Speech and Hearing Association. Mrs. Monteith's place of worship, Turner Memorial A.M.E. Church, has been central to the life of her family. She was a well-known vocalist and presented concerts as a member of the Women's Missionary Society. At Turner, she established the B.C. Cunningham Family Life Center, in honor of her father, that houses church community and educational activities. Mrs. Monteith has received numerous awards including: the Mayor's Key to the City of Columbia, the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech from the American Speech and Hearing Association, and special recognition from the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives.