Phillip James Cunningham Sr. of McKinney, Texas passed away February 17, 2017, at the age of 88. He was born June 26, 1928, to Francis Cunningham and Rose Alice (Branley) Cunningham in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. His family moved to Hyde Park when he was eight, and he spent his childhood there. He attended Boston College High School and was the first drum major for the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corp. Along with studying Latin, Greek and Trigonometry he enjoyed playing hockey and baseball. Phillip graduated early from high school through an accelerated program which allowed him to enlist in the Army in 1946 as part of the World War II Occupation Army. He served in Austria and Italy during this time. After returning to the states he entered Officer Candidates School in 1949, where he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the artillery.
Phillip married his first wife Rita in 1954, and left for the Korean War. They were married for twenty five years and were the parents of five girls and one boy, Shari, Joan, Jean, Carol, Phillip and Janet. He spent twenty years in the Army and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1968. At the time of his retirement he was instrumental in the development of the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) still used today to train the US military. Phillip and his family moved to Dallas, Texas where he worked for LTV for four years using his military experience in the defense contracts department. He continued his education earning an Associate's Degree from Mountain View College. Soon after graduating he began his second career in property management as property manager of Stemmons Towers in Dallas. Phillip would spend the next twenty five years managing several large properties in the Dallas area including the Dallas Market Center, Southland Center, Williams Square in Las Colinas, and he ended his career as the Operations Administrator at the world headquarters for GTE Telephone. During this time he became a Certified Property Manager and was a member of BOMA.
After the death of his first wife he married Patsy Hillman Kelley and they were married for twenty-nine years. A month before retiring at age 65 he earned his bachelor’s degree and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Texas. His retirement years included living in Vermont, Mississippi, and Arkansas before moving back to Texas to be closer to his family. He took up oil painting and fishing in Mississippi, and wrote a memoir of his time in the military. Phillip enjoyed photography and chronicled his and Patsy's travels. He loved to read, and was an expert on military history. Phillip became his wife's caretaker after she suffered a stroke and was devoted to her care. he was always faithful to his beloved Catholic faith and in true Irish fashion, could always tell a joke.
After moving to Frisco, Texas he was able to spend more time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His last two years were spent at the Village of Stonebridge in McKinney, Texas where he was affectionately known as "Boss."
He is survived by his wife, Patsy Ruth (Hillman) Cunningham of Fordyce, Arkansas, daughters, Shari Hughes (Churck) of Frisco, Texas, Joan Clifton (Danny) of Burleson, Texas, Jean Singletary (Dan) of Keller, Texas, Carol Bonar (Sam) of Ft. Worth, Texas and Janet Cunningham of New Haven, Connecticut; son Phillip Cunningham Jr. (Allyson) of Frisco, Texas; grandchildren, Brooke Clifton, Justin Clifton, Megan Boening (Boots), Brittany Beahm (Will), Ashley Benson (Travis, Nolan Bonar, Jacob Singletary, Chase Bonar and Jenna Singletary; great-grandchildre, Collin Poindexter, Harleigh Boenig, Cash Boenig, Casen Beahm and McCoy Boenig.
We are forever grateful for the love and care extended by all his caretakers. We also extend our thanks to New Century Hospice.
A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, February 27, 2017 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 9000 Eldorado Parkway, Frisco, TX 75033. Interment will be held at 1:15 p.m. at DFW National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, TX 75211. The family will receive friends during a visitation on Sunday evening, February 26, 2017 from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, TX 75013. A rosary is set for 7:00 p.m.
The family requests memorial donations to be made to the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corp., at P. O. Box 51391, Boston, MA 02205 www.bostoncrusaders.org or The Alzheimer's Association at alz.org.