Marcella Monaghan Cunningham

CUNNINGHAM, MONAGHAN, CONWAY, BAUR, RYAN, VANCE, CARRAHER, NOLAN

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart (email)
Date: 3/4/2006 at 20:33:07

Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa
October 31, 1961

MRS. P. J. CUNNINGHAM DIES

Mrs. P. J. Cunningham, Sr., prominent resident of the Winterset community for many years, died Friday morning, Oct. 26, 1961, at St. Marys hospital in Rochester, Minn. She was 79 years of age.

She had been in failing health for several weeks, but on Wednesday, October 17th was taken to St. Marys hospital for observation, and underwent surgery, the following Tuesday. She became critically ill last Thursday afternoon and death came early the next morning.

Mrs. Cunningham was the widow of the late P. J. Cunningham, Sr., Winterset banker and farmer, whose death occurred in 1936.

She was the former Marcella Elizabeth Monaghan, daughter of Edward and Ellen Conway Monaghan, and was born in Madison county Aug. 21, 1883. She was married to P. J. Cunningham at St. Patrick's church in Lee township on Oct. 19, 1904.

They started housekeeping on the Cunningham farm in Crawford township and lived there until 1946, when they moved to their farm, west of Winterset, and built the large brick house, which had since been their home.

She was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic church at Winterset, where she was active in the Altar and Rosary society and other phases of service to her church.

She also took an active interest in the affairs of this community, and in the social life of her children and their families.

She is survived by two sons, John and Peter Cunningham of Winterset; four daughters, Mrs. Merritt Baur of Van Meter, Mrs. Marcella Ryan of Winterset, Mrs. Walter Vance of La Grange, Ill., and Mrs. Richard Carraher of La Grange; 14 grandchildren; and a sister, Mrs. Mary Nolan of Kansas City, Mo.

The Rosary was said for Mrs. Cunningham Sunday evening from the Collins Funeral home. Funeral services were held Monday from St. Joseph's Catholic church, with requiem Mass conducted by the pastor, the V. Rev. Msgr. John W. Higgins. Burial was made in the Winterset cemetery.