Christina Cunningham

She was born Christina Duggan in Dungarvan, County Waterford, Ireland. She overcame challenges that few fully appreciated, and that she did not advertise. The death of her father when she was just months old, and severe deprivation that precluded her even completing grade school, were just two of the many obstacles that marked her early years. She was full of life despite them.

When the opportunity arose in 1957 to follow her beloved sister, Peggy, and Peggy’s husband, Chris Neagle, to America, Christina did not hesitate and moved to the Seattle-Tacoma area in Washington, where she became active in the Irish community in the Northwest. Christina met and married Pat Dolan and had four children — Brendan, Brigid, Brian and Sean.

She had a passion for reading that gifted her with knowledge and education that made her lack of formal schooling a shocking revelation to the few to whom it was made.

In 1974, the family moved to Napa and with her children in school, Christina offered her services at the Volunteer Center in Napa. She was soon hired as an employee and ultimately became the life force of the agency. She was made its Executive Director and served in that role for nearly 30 years. She was responsible for developing what ultimately became the Volunteer Center of the Napa Valley into the largest private human service provider in the Napa County. Van-Go para transit, Victims Services and the Ombudsmen program for senior facilities were just a few of the programs that she developed and ran. She served on numerous boards of directors in Napa and received many accolades and honors for her work. Among them, in 1997 she was named a Woman of the Year by the California State Senate.

She married Jack Cunningham in Napa and enjoyed many years of happiness with him until Jack’s death in 1991.

Christina’s greatest joy was in her grandchildren — Dallas, Sean and Kaitie Madsen, John and Mary Katherine Dolan, and Ciara, Michael and Matthew Dolan.

Her final years were in Marin County, where she was able to be near Brendan and his family. During that time, she enjoyed a special loving relationship with Suzanne Dolan.

She is survived by her children and their spouses; her grandchildren; siblings, Theresa Sheehan, Margaret Neagle, Philomena Veale and Thomas Street; and dozens of nieces and nephews in Ireland and America.

A memorial Mass will take place at 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 21, 2011, at St. Patrick’s Church, 114 King Street, Larkspur, Calif. A reception will follow.

Arrangements under the direction of Keaton's Mortuary, San Rafael, CA.