John F. Cunningham

John F. Cunningham of Abington, formerly of South Weymouth, died peacefully on January 20, 2020, at the age of 88.

A longtime resident of South Weymouth for nearly 40 years, John was a great enthusiast and advocate for the Town, its residents, and its government.  John was a member and elected official on many Town Committees including the Appropriation Committee, where he served as Secretary, Personnel Board where he served as Chair, Friends of the Weymouth Teen Center where he served as President, High School Building Committee, Weymouth Business Council, Weymouth Police Building Committee, Fogg Library Restoration Committee, and a longtime Town Meeting Member prior to the Town’s adoption of a City Charter.  John was also a candidate in Weymouth’s first mayoral election in 2007.  John had been a member of the Weymouth Rotary Club since 1984 where he was a past President, President Elect, Vice President, Paul Harris Fellow, Membership Chair, Interact Chair, Student Guest Chair, Community Programs Chair, and Audit Chair.  John was a longtime Corporator at South Shore Bank. After retirement from Boston Edison Company where he worked as a Senior Systems Analyst in Information Systems, John worked part time as an instructor of accounting at Quincy College.  He also worked at the Quincy YMCA under the direction of Dr. Wayne Wescott where he assisted in gathering client data for fitness research. John was a longtime member of the Weymouth Club. He was a graduate of Northeastern University and Bentley College. An Army Veteran, John served in the Korean War and was a recipient of the Ambassador for Peace Medal in 2017.  John enjoyed gardening and taking care of his yard, listening to music, reading, walking, sitting by the pool and enjoying the company of family and friends, especially those from his neighborhood with his late wife Peg, going out for a nice meal, and working out and enjoying coffee with friends at the Weymouth Club. 

Beloved husband of the late Margaret M. (Carey). Loving father of Brian F. Cunningham of Quincy, Karen A. Yarmalovicz and her husband, Steve, of Lakeville, Linda M. Cunningham of Onset, Diane M. Catania and her husband, James, of East Bridgewater, Carolyn A. Russo and her husband, Todd, of Abington, and Michele M. Donehey and her husband, Frederick, of Medford. He was also the father of the late Janice M. Cunningham who died a few days after birth.  He is survived by his grandchildren, Mary, Laura, Grace, Nicole, Megan, John, Joanna, Audrey, Margaret, Mitchell, Libby, Harper and Henley, and great grandchildren, Trajan, Elijah, Eva, Hannah, Leah, and Odin as well as many nieces and nephews.  Brother of Joan Reilly of Texas, Rita Gray of Florida, Robert Cunningham of Florida, and the late Richard Cunningham, Joseph Cunningham, and Philip Cunningham. He was predeceased by his parents, Richard W. and Esther L. Cunningham and beloved granddaughter Melissa M. Cunningham. 

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Friday 4-8 PM in the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home SOUTH WEYMOUTH at 809 Main Street (Rte 18 opp. So. Shore Hospital). Relatives and friends will gather in the funeral home at 7:45 AM prior to the Funeral Mass in Holy Family Church, Rockland, at 9 AM. Burial will follow in Mt. Hope Cemetery, South Weymouth. 

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Weymouth Rotary Foundation Scholarship, P.O. Box 52 South Weymouth, MA 02190.