Paul Lester Cunningham, Jr.

 

Paul Lester Cunningham, Jr., age 89, of Willis, Virginia, went to be with his Lord and Savior on July 15, 2025.

Paul was born and raised on a farm in Jane Lew, West Virginia, with his three siblings, two brothers and a sister. It was here that he developed an unparalleled work ethic that he became known for all his life. Paul graduated from high school in Clarksburg, West Virginia, and immediately joined the United States Navy, where he served for four years on the submarine, the U.S.S Cutlass. It was during those four years that he became lifelong friends with a shipmate, Jim Granger, who eventually introduced Paul to his future wife.

After being discharged from the Navy, Paul moved to New Jersey to be with and marry his sweetheart, Eleanor “Ellie” Fletcher, in August of 1959. After marrying Ellie and settling in New Jersey, Paul went on to study air conditioning and heating at Lincoln Technical Institute, and subsequently started his own business, C & D Cooling and Heating, which he ran successfully for 35 years. Paul and Ellie raised two daughters and a son in Gillette, New Jersey, and upon retiring from the cooling and heating business, they moved to Willis, Virginia, to be near family and return to his rural farming heritage.

While Paul had many achievements throughout his time here on earth, the most important is that he gave his heart to the Lord at Calvary Bible Church in Readington, New Jersey, at the age of thirty-nine years old. Paul loved the Lord and served Him with the same work ethic and dedication that he was known for in all other facets of life. He went on numerous mission trips, both domestically and abroad, several times taking his grandchildren with him, demonstrating to them his legacy of loving and faithfully serving the Lord. He was a devoted member of Grace Baptist Church in Floyd, Virginia, after his retirement, and served as a deacon there for many years. Paul was also an avid and talented woodworker and used his gifts to make the pulpit, communion table and kitchen cabinets for his church. He was selfless in his service to others and would help anyone with any need, outworking men half his age up until very late in his life. He also loved to garden, hunt, fish, drive, and fellowship with his family. Paul demonstrated his love for others through sharing his time and in tremendous acts of service for the people around him.

Paul is preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Fern Cunningham; and by his sister, Barbara Austin.

He is survived by his two brothers, Jimmy and Phil Cunningham; his wife of 66 years, Eleanor; his three children, Kathy (Steve) Jones of Goshen, New York, Robin (John) Hairfield of Willis, and Glenn (Heather) Cunningham, of Louisville, Tennessee; as well as ten grandchildren, Jamie (Benjamin) Shelor, Emily (Gordon) Hairfield, Caleb (SueAnna) Hairfield, Anna (TJ) Coburn, Eli Hairfield, Leah (Benjamin) Potter, Tyler Jones, Jacob Jones, Augustus Cunningham, Woodrow Cunningham; and 14 great-grandchildren, all of whom he loved deeply and will miss him dearly.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Rebekah and Allie with Carilion Hospice who faithfully cared for Paul with kindness and humility to the end.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 25, 2025 at Grace Baptist Church. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Interment will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 25, 2025 at the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery with Military Rites by the United States Navy Honor Guard and American Legion #58.