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Joseph Oliver Cunningham

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Joseph Oliver Cunningham

Birth
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA
Death
13 Sep 2013 (aged 94)
Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA
Burial
South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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From the SOUTH BEND (IN) TRIBUNE, September 18, 2013:

SOUTH BEND - Joseph Oliver Cunningham, 94, died Friday, September 13, 2013, at his home in Phoenix, Arizona. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 23, 1918, son of the late Charles Frederick and Gertrude Wells Oliver Cunningham, and grew up at the family home in South Bend, Indiana. He attended St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, and The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey. In 1942, he graduated from Harvard with a Bachelor of Science degree and later attended Harvard Business School. He served as an officer in the United States Navy during World War II. After the war, he joined The Oliver Corporation in Chicago, a firm which was originally founded by his great-grandfather, James Oliver, in 1855. In 1953, he transferred to Memphis, Tennessee, as Manager of the Memphis Branch, and in 1956 he purchased the Electrical Equipment of Arizona, a wholesale distributor of home appliances, where he served as President and CEO. He was on the Board of Directors of The First National Bank of Arizona, later known as First Interstate Bank of Arizona. He also served as Chairman of the Board of the National Bank and Trust Company of South Bend. From 1970 until his death he served as Chairman of the Board of Oliver Estate, Inc. He was a supporter of Notre Dame and served on the University of Notre Dame College of Business Advisory Council. In the 60s he served as Campaign Chairman for the annual fundraising event of the Greater Phoenix United Way and also served on Arizona Governor Samuel Goddard's Advisory Council. In 1997 Governors of Indiana awarded him the Sagamore of the Wabash award and in 2004 the Distinguished Hoosier Award for his many contributions to the State of Indiana and the South Bend/Mishawaka community. As an avid pilot he enjoyed flying his own airplane; was a staunch supporter of sports, and could be seen so often in his box watching and cheering on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He was always ready for a good game of tennis.

Survivors include his wife, Millie M. Cunningham; sons, Charles Frederick Cunningham II, Joseph Oliver Cunningham Jr. (Cathy); daughter, Ellinor O.C. McElroy (Daniel); and two grandchildren, Kelley McElroy and Daniel McElroy (Kathryn); four stepchildren, Dr. Randall E. Pearson (Tina), Mimi Bristow, Dr. Kenneth M. Pearson (Ellen), Christopher L. Pearson; seven step-grandchildren; two sisters, Anne C. McClure (Archibald) and Jane C. Warriner; and seven nieces.
From the SOUTH BEND (IN) TRIBUNE, September 18, 2013:

SOUTH BEND - Joseph Oliver Cunningham, 94, died Friday, September 13, 2013, at his home in Phoenix, Arizona. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 23, 1918, son of the late Charles Frederick and Gertrude Wells Oliver Cunningham, and grew up at the family home in South Bend, Indiana. He attended St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, and The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey. In 1942, he graduated from Harvard with a Bachelor of Science degree and later attended Harvard Business School. He served as an officer in the United States Navy during World War II. After the war, he joined The Oliver Corporation in Chicago, a firm which was originally founded by his great-grandfather, James Oliver, in 1855. In 1953, he transferred to Memphis, Tennessee, as Manager of the Memphis Branch, and in 1956 he purchased the Electrical Equipment of Arizona, a wholesale distributor of home appliances, where he served as President and CEO. He was on the Board of Directors of The First National Bank of Arizona, later known as First Interstate Bank of Arizona. He also served as Chairman of the Board of the National Bank and Trust Company of South Bend. From 1970 until his death he served as Chairman of the Board of Oliver Estate, Inc. He was a supporter of Notre Dame and served on the University of Notre Dame College of Business Advisory Council. In the 60s he served as Campaign Chairman for the annual fundraising event of the Greater Phoenix United Way and also served on Arizona Governor Samuel Goddard's Advisory Council. In 1997 Governors of Indiana awarded him the Sagamore of the Wabash award and in 2004 the Distinguished Hoosier Award for his many contributions to the State of Indiana and the South Bend/Mishawaka community. As an avid pilot he enjoyed flying his own airplane; was a staunch supporter of sports, and could be seen so often in his box watching and cheering on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He was always ready for a good game of tennis.

Survivors include his wife, Millie M. Cunningham; sons, Charles Frederick Cunningham II, Joseph Oliver Cunningham Jr. (Cathy); daughter, Ellinor O.C. McElroy (Daniel); and two grandchildren, Kelley McElroy and Daniel McElroy (Kathryn); four stepchildren, Dr. Randall E. Pearson (Tina), Mimi Bristow, Dr. Kenneth M. Pearson (Ellen), Christopher L. Pearson; seven step-grandchildren; two sisters, Anne C. McClure (Archibald) and Jane C. Warriner; and seven nieces.


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