Oley L. Cunningham, 87, of Palmer Twp., PA passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 9, 2016, surrounded by family at St. Luke’s Hospice House. Born February 13, 1928 in Charleston, WV, he was a son of the late Dennis and Mabel (Lynch) Cunningham. He married the former Marian Adams on April 9, 1955 in Avon, NY. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in August with family at Lake George, NY, a very special place rich in family memories.
He was an Electrical Engineer by trade, retiring from ITT in 1993. His passions were his family, photography, geology, tennis and the great outdoors. He was a child magnet, able to settle even the most upset grandchild with his calming presence. He focused his photography on nature, believing nothing or no one should stand in the way of a great view. Through pictures he captured the world, documenting all of his travels with family and friends. Even in his eighties, he looked forward to his weekly tennis matches and putting his killer slice to use. He was a gentle soul but fiercely competitive on the tennis court. He could build or fix anything, was up for any challenge, and always willing to lend a helping hand.
He is survived by his wife: Marian Cunningham; their three daughters: Carol McKennan and husband Andy of Fort Collins, CO, Meg Yohe of Lancaster, PA and Amy Phillips and husband Mike of Palmer, PA; five grandchildren: Victoria Arntsen, Abby McKennan, Ben Yohe, Kara Phillips, and Michael Phillips; two brothers: Robert Cunningham of St. Albans, WV and Dennis Cunningham of Senaca, SC.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, Friday, January 15 at the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton Street, Easton, PA.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Luke’s Hospice, c/o Development Office, 801 Ostrum St., Bethlehem, PA 18015 or a charity of one’s choice.
Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.
Ken Giunta
January 12, 2016 at 12:28 am
My sincere condolences to the Cunningham Family. I grew up with Carol and am grateful that we have remained good friends for well over 40 years. I have very fond memories of Oley and well remember his many kindnesses. He was a great man who will be terribly missed. I was, indeed, fortunate to have known him.
Sincerely,
Ken Giunta
michael farmer
January 12, 2016 at 6:03 pm
We are so sorry to hear about Oley and will keep him in our prayers. He was a great neighbor, father and grandfather to the kids and will be missed greatly. We will miss him working in the yard also each day. We were blessed to have known him.
Kind regards
The farmer family, Michael, Beth, Erin and Emily
P J Adams
January 12, 2016 at 9:48 pm
I had the great pleasure of playing tennis with Oley for many years. His kind smile and generous manner will be missed. He was a good friend and a fine
competitor on the tennis court.
He led a bountiful life, and his passing will not go unnoticed.
P J
Billy Yeh, M.D.
January 13, 2016 at 6:31 pm
Oley was our American father. When my family moved to Easton in 1981, my wife May was pregnant and spoke little English. I just started my surgical training at Easton Hospital. I was overwhelmed by the workload, staying in the hospital most of time and leaving my wife and our two-year-old daughter Chin-Chin alone in an isolated apartment. Then Angels showed up, Marian & Oley were the first to visit May when she gave birth to my son, Johnny. They took us in as a family. Those 5 years in Easton became the most enjoyable time in our life. A few years ago, Oley sent us an old photo showing my kids were horse-riding on his back. Oh, what a fun memory! Oley, you’ll be missed forever.