IN MEMORY OF PAUL J. CUNNINGHAM

Paul Johnston Cunningham, M.D., was born October 10, 1928, in Princeton, Kentucky to Maree Johnston Cunningham and Paul Clemens Cunningham. He entered the Kingdom of Heaven on May 11, 2022, at the age of 93 years young.

He was preceded in death by his loving parents, his sister Cynthia Cunningham Lay of Columbia, TN, the mother of his three children, Billie Jane Freeman Cunningham, and dear and lifelong Galveston friend, Jessie Nell Mahoney.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Patsy Cunningham of Galveston, TX; his daughters, Suzie Davis (Stan) and Cindy Duffey of Houston, TX; his son, Ray Cunningham (Veronica Zarate) of The Woodlands, TX; grandchildren: Baron Davis (Saylor Smith) of Austin, TX; Erin Rodrigues (Thomas) of Queens, NY; Brenden Duffey of Houston, TX; Samantha Surface (Chris) of Bryan, TX, and Sean Duffey (Sarah) of Chicago, IL; brother-in-law, Allyn Lay of Columbia, TN; niece Patty Gill (Brent), of Tennessee and nephews, Al Lay (Linda), of Tennessee, and John Lay, of Idaho; and a host of dear friends.

Other survivors are Patsy's children, son Watson Barker (Allison) and grandchildren, Mary Boyd, Charlotte, and Libby of Pittsburg, PA. Patsy's daughter Tate Hallford (Greg) and grandchildren Beck and Will Cicala of Kent, CT, and Greyson Hallford of Ponte Vedra, FL.

Growing up in Princeton, one of his proudest accomplishments was achieving the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, the Eagle Scout. Paul attended Butler High School and transferred his senior year to Georgia Military Academy (now Woodward Academy) in Atlanta, GA, where he lettered in football and received numerous academic and athletic medals and commendations. He also played in the band during football games, changing from football to band gear, setting the tempo for half-time shows.

In 1950, Paul graduated from the University of Kentucky with both a B.A. and a B.S. in pre-med studies. While at the University of Kentucky, Paul was a research assistant in the Entomology Department, College of Agriculture. Following college graduation he returned to Princeton, where he was a high school chemistry teacher and assistant football coach before attending the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky, earning his M.D. in 1955.

After receiving his M.D, he moved to Galveston to begin a one year rotating internship at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Afterwards, he moved to Montgomery, AL to serve in the United States Air Force Medical Corps. From 1957 to 1958, he was on the Teaching Staff, School of Aviation Medicine, Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery, before becoming Chief of Surgery, 835th TAC Hospital, Smyrna Air Force Base in Smyrna, TN. Paul would later resume his military service in the USAF Medical Reserves, retiring as Lieutenant Colonel.

Following his active-duty service, Paul returned to Galveston in 1959 to complete his residency in General Surgery, followed by a Clinical Fellowship (American Cancer Society) at UTMB, from 1961to 1962. He also served as Chief Resident in the Department of Surgery at UTMB during this time.

He went on to be become a founder and partner of Galveston Surgical Group, an esteemed general surgery private practice. In 1994, he founded The Gulf Coast Medical Group, a multi-specialty group practice where he remained in private practice until 2003. He left private practice to become a Physician Advisor at Mainland Medical Center until his retirement in 2011. During his years of practice, Paul maintained hospital staff affiliations at UTMB; Mainland Center Hospital; St. Mary's Hospital and Shriner's Burn Hospital (as a general surgery consultant).

Throughout his career, Paul remained active and held leadership positions in numerous medical professional organizations including the Galveston County Medical Society (President), Texas Medical Association, American Medical Association, Texas Surgical Society, American Society of General Surgery, the Singleton Surgical Society (President), and the Gulf Coast Independent Practice Association (Board of Directors).

One of his most memorable experiences as a physician was when he was selected, along with his close friend, Dr. Charlie Bondurant, from Oklahoma, to work as a visiting surgeon at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambaréné, Gabon, Africa, during the summer of 1974.

In 1979, Paul had the distinguished honor to be appointed by Texas Governor William Clements to serve on the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners (1979-1985).

Paul also served multiple terms on the Board of Regents of Galveston College over a period of 36 years. He always placed a high premium on education and felt strongly about the need for access to education in communities. In particular, he came to understand the critical importance of continuing and vocational education, in addition to traditional academics. During his years of service, he was elected to terms as both Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Board, leading and overseeing initiatives too numerous to list, but each of which contributed significantly to the improvement of the community and expanding access for adults of all ages and backgrounds to vital learning and training opportunities.

Paul took extraordinary pride in being a physician and providing care and compassion to all his patients for nearly 50 years. He found great joy in practicing and teaching medicine, and he was beloved by the many patients he treated through the years, as well as students, residents, fellows, nurses, staff, and faculty who worked with and learned from him. And he never stopped learning, reading, and training, even once he retired from practice. He leaves an outstanding legacy in the Galveston medical community.

One of Paul's deepest passions was his involvement in politics, which he viewed as a civic duty. When he moved his young family to Galveston and began his medical career, it was a time of strong economic growth and general prosperity in the post-war United States. Paul was a loyal Southern Democrat, as was most of the Texas electorate. Galveston was no different. In fact, there had not been an active Republican Party in Galveston County for decades. This would change in 1960 when Paul and close friend and fellow physician Joe A. Walker decided to switch parties, inspired in part by John Tower's Senate race against incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson. Paul and Joe set up operations in the Walker's garage in their east end "Fish Village" neighborhood and held meetings, nominated precinct and county officers, registered with the state party, and officially launched the modern Galveston County Republican Party.

Paul would go on to serve in many crucial leadership roles at the local and state levels of the Republican Party. These include the Finance Committees for both the Tower for Senator Campaign and Goldwater for President Campaign (1960-1966); Delegate to county and state Republican conventions (1964-1992); Chairman, Galveston County George Bush for Senator Campaign (1970). It was during a campaign visit to Galveston that the young candidate, George H.W. Bush showered and slept at the Cunningham house, a notable experience that Paul would proudly share throughout the years.

Later political roles included serving as the Galveston County Co-Chair, Reagan for President Campaign (1976), Texas Delegate to the Republican National Convention, Kansas City (1976), Chairman, Galveston County Republican Convention (1990, 1992) and Texas Delegate to the Republican National Convention, Detroit, nomination of Ronald Reagan for President (1980). Additionally, Paul served on the Executive Committee of the Galveston County Republican Party (1964-1974); and numerous times on the Texas State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) for the 11th Senatorial District (rotating, 1972-1992). In 1984, Paul was a proud Republican Elector, representing the Texas 9th Congressional District to the Electoral College and casting the vote for President Ronald Reagan's second inauguration.

Even after stepping back from an active role in the politics, Paul continued to stay involved behind the scenes, maintaining a broad network of close contacts, advising, and serving as a mentor to the next generation of local Republican Party leaders.

Paul's favorite pastimes were golf, hunting, fishing, boating, camping, road trips, travelling, gardening, and tinkering in the garage. There are countless stories to go along with each of these, but Paul was equally content whether he was rounding the back nine on a spring afternoon, sitting in a duck blind on a cold November morning somewhere in the Gulf coast marshlands, or tending his hibiscus and palms in his backyard. Among his most treasured memories are the many trips north to remote Ontario with his good friend Charlie and their crew for the fall hunts, and summer fishing.

Paul was raised in the Baptist church in Princeton and then in 1994 he and Patsy joined Moody Methodist Church, where Paul was a faithful attendant and believer in Jesus Christ.

No matter how busy he was in his professional life and many civic activities, Paul loved his family tremendously and unconditionally, more than anything else in this world. He and Patsy created wonderful memories in their many travels and active lives, both near and far. He was a loving and devoted father and loved spending time with his children and grandchildren. He felt very fortunate and blessed to watch his grandchildren grow into adults.  Paul will be greatly missed by his family, but we are thankful for the assurance in Jesus Christ that we will be reunited again in Heaven.

The family thanks his caregivers Martha, Edna and Diana, Crystal Saunders, Sherry Busby and the excellent cardiology team at UTMB, especially Dr. Ibrahim Khalife, his assistant Bobbie and PCT coordinator Silvia Campbell. Paul would also be grateful to his excellent primary care physician, Dr. Carlos Clark.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 18th, at 11:00 a.m. at Moody Methodist Church in Galveston, TX followed by a reception in the church parlor. The family will have a private interment immediately following the reception. Honorary pallbearers are Dr. John Morledge of Madison, WI; Dr. Juan Escalon of Winter Park, FL; Jack Walker; Thomas Ramirez; and his faithful golf group - Ray Pinard, Dr. Jerry Mount, Andy Odom, and Ben Powell.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in remembrance to Meals on Wheels of Galveston County or the Boy Scouts of America at Moody Methodist Church (Bay Area Council, Troop 124).