Joseph K. Cunningham of Yonkers, NY entered eternal life peacefully surrounded by the love of his family on December 13, 2012 at the age of 100. Born in Crusheen,
County Clare, Ireland on April 11, 1912 to James and Hanorah (nee Walsh), the sixth child in a family of seven children, Sr. Elizabeth, Thomas, Sr. Agnes, Chris, Sr. Christopher (Martha), and Stephen, he emigrated to New York to join his two older brothers in 1929. Joe is survived by his beautiful wife Rose (nee O’Donnell) of 64 years. He will be dearly missed by his four surviving children and their spouses Dr. Catherine and Michael Einersen of Mount Vernon, NY, Joseph, Jr. and Debbie of Danbury, CT, James and Joan of Croton-on-Hudson, NY, and Deacon John and Elaine of Pearl River, NY. He is predeceased by his loving daughter Mary Cunningham Einersen who was married to his son-in-law Peter Einersen. ‘Poppy’ was the proud grandfather of fourteen grandchildren, Brian, Kerry, and Kieran, Peter and Jennifer Einersen, Mary Rose and Eric Luft, Joseph, III, Sean, and Christopher, Jim and Kristen Cunningham, Siobhan and Ryan McCormack, Troy and Caitlin Cunningham and one great-grandchild, Liam Luft. ‘Uncle Joe’ is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews in the U.S. and Ireland. He is survived also by his sister-in-law, Sheila O’Donnell . Joe became a licensed electrician in 1940 with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company where he worked for thirty-seven years, until retiring in 1977. In 1948, he married Rose O’Donnell of Drumkeerin, County Leitrim in New York and they soon settled in the Bronx, raising their family. An Irish accordion player, Joe was a popular entertainer in the New York Irish-American community for more than 60 years. He started the Joe Cunningham Orchestra in 1931 which he passed to two of his sons, Joe and Jimmy as The Cunningham Brothers Band. He has played many Irish county dances and weddings during his career and taught Irish accordian to many students, passing along his love of traditional Irish music. He was an honored member of the AOH Division 5, the Claremen’s Association and participated in many activities with the Aisling Irish Center in Yonkers where he resided for the last thirty-three years. Of late, Joe enjoyed a passion for landscape painting, and the highlight of his day was visiting his beautiful wife Rose at St. Patrick’s Nursing Home in the Bronx.
Asked the secret to his amazing zest for life and remarkable longevity, he matter-of-factly proclaimed, “I’m Irish!”. Calling hours at the Fred H. McGrath & Son, Funeral Home, Bronxville, between the hours of 2 to 6 pm Sunday 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm Monday. Mass of Christian Burial St. Barnabas Church, Bronx, on Tuesday Dec. 18 at 10:45 am.
Leave a Condolence