Joseph J. Cunningham Jr

ELKHART — Retired automobile dealer Joseph J. Cunningham Jr., 71, of 1734 E. Lake Drive, died at 12:42 a.m. today in his home after an illness. Mr. Cunningham founded Joe Cunningham Lincoln-Mercury in 1967 and remained president until he retired in 1986. In addition, Mr. Cunningham was a former commissioner on the Elkhart Board of Aviation and a past president of the Elkhart Auto Dealers Association. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and Elkhart Moose, a life member of Elkhart Elks and a former member of the Elkhart Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce Contact Club. He was a World War IT veteran, having served with the Seabees. 

Mr. Cunningham was born Dec 5, 1921, in South Bend. On Oct. 3C 1948, in South Bend, he married Dorothy J. Fansler. She survives with two daughter Sandra Pratt of Elkhart and Susan Tucci of Port Chester, N.Y.; three sons, Joseph J. III of South Bend and Timothy and John, both of Elkhart; and seven grandchildren A son, Thomas, preceded him death.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in the church. Burial will be in St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park Granger. Friends may call from to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Hartzler-Gutermuth Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association. 

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com, and FindAGrave.com

09/16/2023 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/94893257/joseph-j.-cunningham