Christopher William Cunningham

Christopher (Chris) William Cunningham was born in London, Ontario on December 19, 1949. He was the oldest child and only son of William and Ilma Cunningham. Growing up with three younger sisters was a challenge he more than lived up to – being both the older brother, as well as self-appointed “adventurer-in chief”. His family remembers him as one who never backed down from a challenge, was always ready with an opinion or better idea, and challenged them to embrace life at its fullest.

Chris came with his family to California in October 1953, eventually settling in Whittier, CA. He was a proud alumnus of the Whitter school system, attending Macy Elementary, Starbucks Intermediate, Lowell, and La Serna High Schools. He later attended Cal State University Fullerton.

As a resident of Costa Mesa, CA for over 42 years, he managed a Goodyear auto store, owned a wine storage and delivery business, and worked as an accountant for several firms including Reid-Thomas, Mitsubishi and as a consultant to the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) for Telacu/Carpenter.

Chris’ most beloved activities focused on educating others about wine. He was an active member of the Orange County Wine Society for over 30 years, serving numerous times on their Board and holding many positions including President in 1980 and Vice President in 1985. Chris served as OCWS’s inaugural Chair of the Extraordinaire, and was an active volunteer supporting the Summer Wine Classic. In addition to his service to the Wine Society, he also served on the Wine Steering Committee at the Orange County Fair's Commercial Wine Competition. His passion for wine included his own wine-making endeavors, culminating in a silver medal for Home Wine Making. Chris was a recognized lecturer on the wine tasting circuit and was featured in numerous presentations over the years. He was a talented sommelier, and supervised many tasting events including the Winefest, which benefited local charities.

Although Chris carried the life-long burden of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, he lived his life with strong determination, unfailing spirit, and a positive outlook before passing away peacefully on Sunday, March 4, 2018. He is survived by his mother, sisters Janet Hartmann, JoAnna Schilling, and Laurie Little, and brother-in-laws, Brent Little and Steve Schilling. He was also the proud uncle of four nephews and two nieces as well as three great-nieces and one great-nephew. He will be dearly missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Orange County Wine Society and will be placed in the scholarship account for granting to California colleges in Chris’ memory. Donations can be made by check and sent as follows:

Orange County Wine Society

P.O. Box 11059

Costa Mesa, CA 92627