Obituary of Juanita Cunningham

Juanita Geneva Cunningham died Friday, August 14, 2009 at her home in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 85 years. Juanita was born January 28, 1924 to Lester William and Rosa Geneva (Cummins) Wyrick. A deeply religious woman, she kept God at the center of all things. Her house was more often than not the gathering place for holidays, birthdays, and just visiting, she was often the caretaker of the family, taking care of younger siblings, nieces, nephews, grandkids, and great grandkids. She was always a giving person, but also a straight shooter and fair minded. She raised all of her kids and helped to raise her grandkids and great grandkids with love of life, love of music, love of the Lord and a sensible work ethic. Music was always a part of Juanita's life. She played the piano and there was rarely a time when she could not be heard singing. An original "Rosie the Riveter" she helped to build airplanes at the Tulsa Douglas plant during WWII. After the war, she sought employment that suited her passion for cooking and gained employment first with St. John's hospital, then Doctor's hospital, and finally First National Bank in downtown Tulsa. Having worked all her life, retirement did not last long; she and her husband Jim started their own business Cunningham Clean-Up, and began cleaning up houses at the different stages of construction from the initial stages all the way to the finished product, employing many members of her family in the process. Those that survive and hold many cherished memories are her daughter Mary Everett of Tulsa; her stepchildren Ruth Cure, Evelyn Cunningham, Norma Albritton, Clinton Cunningham, Jr., and Shirley Charley; her sisters Josephine Burrow of Mannford, Freda Cunningham ,Rachel Davis, and Donna Timmons of Tulsa; her grandchildren Jimmie Lee Cunningham and wife Rosalia of Tulsa, Amber Sims and husband Charlie of Hulbert, Roy E. Everett of Tulsa, Sandra McKee and husband Don of Tulsa, Crystal Everett of Tulsa; her great grandchildren Trinity Cunningham, Alyssa Fair, Janem Sims, James Everett, James Rice, Kristen Faglie and husband Matt, Katie and husband Kenneth Diver, Joshua Everett, Dustin Bradford, Kassie Bradford, Jessica Everett, and Mary Brendle. Juanita has 4 great, great grandchildren. Juanita was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands James Melvin Cunningham in 1994 and Clinton John Cunningham in 2001; her sons Jimmie & Don Cunningham, her daughter-in-law Phyliss (Bomar) Cunningham; her brothers James Lester "L.C." Wyrick, Paul David Wyrick, Nathaniel Earl Wyrick, William Eugene Wyrick, Wesley David Wyrick, Silas Murray Wyrick, Kenneth Wyrick; and her sisters Uldine Rosemary Ratliff, Wanda June Teague, and Lavada Ann Deramo. A funeral service will be held 2:00 PM Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at Trinity Baptist Church. Graveside committal will follow at Floral Haven Cemetery.