SFC Rae Gerald Cunningham

SFC (Ret.) Rae Gerald Cunningham, age 73, of Friendswood, Texas was called home to our Lord after a prolonged battle with a deteriorating illness. Rae was born October 22, 1948, in Houston, Texas at St. Elizbeth Hospital to his father and mother, Levi Cunningham Sr., and Katherine Gertrud (Hill) Cunningham, longtime residents of Sunnyside. Rae was a precocious, bright-eyed boy that turned into a natural-born leader and great man. He was a child of God and was faithful in his Love of God in his adult life as well. He had two siblings: an older sister, Lee Kathryn (Cunningham) Ferrell, and a younger brother, Levi Cunningham Jr. As a child, Rae was a member of boy scouts and retold stories of his favored and blessed life often and the love he had for his family and them of him. He was a great father, provider, teacher of life and husband.

Rae graduated in 1966 from Evan E. Worthing High School in Houston, Texas. His favorite subjects were Mathematics and English Literature. He ran Track and Field and played football.

In 1967 Rae was drafted into the United States Army and immediately knew this was an opportunity for him to expand his horizons and live an adventurous life outside of Houston. He decided to turn in his draft card and voluntarily enlisted. After basic combat training in Ft. Polk, Louisiana he attended advanced individualized training in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. It was in Ft. Sill that he learned to be a Field Artillery Missile Specialist. He traveled the world extensively and loved his job as an Army soldier with zeal, and passion and loved every aspect of Army life. He always spoke of all the great men and later women he worked with, with such respect and gratitude, and loved to recall stories of training missions in Crete, Greece, and of the good ole’ days of Reforger which were war game simulations with other neighboring countries' military forces.

Rae will now go to his eternal rest and be reunited with those that preceded him in death; his father, his mother, his sister, and her husband, Bobby Ferrell; and his brother and nephew Corey Cunningham (son of his brother, Levi Jr. and wife Sheila).

Rae leaves behind his wife, Jutta of almost 52 years, his daughter, Lee Katherine (50), and her husband Raymond Sampier Jr. (48), Lee’s two children; grandson, Logan Layne Chambers (21), and granddaughter Laura Kate Chambers (16); his son, Daniel Rae (39), and Daniel’s son and daughter; grandson Cade Daniel (9) and granddaughter Ella Grace (7). He adored his grandchildren so much, so his heart filled over at the mention of any of their names. You could always see a twinkle in his eye when he would speak of them.

In addition to his immediate family, he leaves a mark on the hearts and lives of nieces & nephews and their spouses; his sister's children-Reginald Wayne Pinson, Daryl Rae Pinson (and wife Tiffany); and Michael Levias Pinson and his sister’s daughter, Tynika (Nikki) Ferrell; niece Kimberly Cunningham (his brother Levi’s daughter), sister-in-law Sheila Cunningham, and many more family members.

On Tuesday July 26, 2022 a private family viewing will occur from 09:00 AM to 10:00 AM for his wife, daughter, her husband, and her children as well as Rae’s son. Immediately following the private family viewing a home going/celebration of life reception will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM for Rae in the Magnolia room and the remaining family and guests are free to pay their respects to Rae in a public viewing. The funeral service will be officiated by Lee Katherine’s Senior Pastor Raymond Steward, Sr. from Restoring Hope International Fellowship Church, 1801 W Nasa Blvd, Webster, TX 77598 and will occur at the American Heritage Funeral Home chapel, 10710 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038, from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. Following the funeral service, Rae’s casket will be drawn by horse and caisson to the site of the committal service with full military honors from 1:45 PM to 2:15 PM at Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, please donate to any of the following charities close to Rae and his family: Army Emergency Relief at www.armyemergencyrelief.org, American Heart/Stroke Association at www.heart.org, The American Liver Foundation at www.liverfoundation.org, or The Fisher House Foundation at www.fisherhouse.org.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.AmericanHeritageFuneralHome.com for the Cunningham family.