Frederick E. Cunningham Sr.

CANAAN – Frederick E. Cunningham, Sr., 78, of Canaan, died on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, with his family by his side. Fred was born in West Stewartstown on Nov. 2, 1942, a son to the late Willie and Florence (Enman) Cunningham. He was raised in Lemington prior to making his home in Canaan. Known by his family and most of his friends as “Gramps,” Fred was the rock and patriarch of his family. His working life was varied, as he started as a young man at the Stratford Plywood Mill, then he worked for a period at Ethan Allen. In 1969, he went to auto body school and later operating his own auto body shop out of his garage on Canaan Hill until he went to work for his son, Fred, Jr., in the logging business. He loved to deliver fire and stove wood for the Cunningham Logging Co., and if he was gone too long, everyone knew that Fred was just out enjoying and visiting with his friends. He worked part-time for almost 20 years as a police officer for the Town of Canaan, and he was the animal control officer for most of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, work that the truly loved. Fred still always loved fixing old cars, though, and he loved to be out hunting in the fall. He was a true jokester with his family, all of who he loved dearly, and could often be sniffed out bending the rules of his favorite card game, “73.” Fred is survived by his beloved wife of more than 58 years, Dencie (Gray) Cunningham of Canaan; his two children, Fred Cunningham, Jr. and wife Lucille of Canaan, and Gina Vigneault and husband Roland of Norton; his brothers-in-law, David Gray of Canaan and Dale Gray of Killington; six grandchildren, Fred Cunningham (Tasha), Jon Cunningham (Alijah), Laura Vigneault (Mat), Diana Thurow (Jeremiah), Lyanne Elliott (Dan), and Dencie Covill (Zach); seven great-grandchildren, Mason, Cohen, Addison and Amaya Cunningham, Ayva Cunningham, Aidan and Adaline Thurow; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Fred is predeceased by two brothers, Bevin and Ronald Cunningham, and two sisters, Catherine Kirk and Barbara Goodwin. Memorial calling hours will be held on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home in Colebrook. A future celebration of Fred’s life will be held at a later date. Expressions of sympathy in memory of Mr. Cunningham may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or online at stjude.org; or to the Two Rivers Ride for Cancer, c/o R. Mulliken, 53 Spring St., Colebrook, NH 03576. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsnewman.com. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home, Colebrook, NH.

Frederick E. Cunningham Sr.

November 2, 1942 - December 8, 2020