James A. Cunningham

Born January 15, 1915 in Bryan, TX, he was a highly successful military officer, industry executive, senior federal executive and he was a much beloved husband, father, and friend.

As an Army Major in WWII he served in the Philippines on Gen. MacArthur’s staff where he assisted in planning the invasion of Japan.

After VJ Day he joined the Veteran’s Administration where he served as the Assistant Director of the VA Hospitals in Temple, TX and Memphis, TN. He later joined the American Founders Life Insurance Company in Temple and Austin, TX, finally rising to the position of Senior VP and Director of Agencies.

After his career in the insurance industry, Jim moved back to Washington, DC, where he held many positions within the Public Health Service and the Veterans Administration. He was the first non-physician Chief of the Nursing Home program and later headed the division under Medicare-Medicaid consisting of hospitals, nursing homes, and home health care.

With the VA, he served as Deputy Director of the Education Division and later became Deputy Assistant Chief Medical Director for Academic Affairs. He then was appointed Director of the VA Hospital in Charleston, SC and two years later became the Director of the VA Medical Center in Denver, CO, and Regional Director of hospitals for the VA throughout a six state area. He and Billye retired in 1979.

Then, in 1997, after a sudden illness, Billye passed away. Jim resided at Frasier Meadows before moving to live with his son, Jim, and daughter-in-law, Linda, for the past 3 ½ years.

Jim is survived by his three children and four grandchildren. Jim and Linda live in Boulder as do two of their three children, Jason and Erin. Their daughter, Athena Hubbard, lives in Savannah, GA with her husband, Josh, an Army Ranger currently deployed to Afghanistan. Son Rick also lives in Savannah with his wife, Denise. Rick’s son Matt lives with his wife in Cheney, WA. Daughter Janet and her husband, Tony, live in New York City. Jim will be greatly missed by the many people who loved him. Please make a donation in his name to the Salvation Army.