Robert (Bob) Earl Cunningham, 87, peacefully went to be with his Savior on December 30, 2022. He was born in November of 1935 in Grand Isle, Nebraska.  He made a few short stops along the way, before spending most of his growing up years in San Angelo, TX. Bob began working at the local newspaper when he was just seven years old, moving from folding papers for other routes to carrying his own paper route all the way through high school.

He attended Rice University on scholarship earning both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Chemical Engineering in just five years. While in college, he met and married Harriet Anne Oakes. After graduation, Bob and Harriet moved to California and he began working for Chevron Oil and Gas. This led them to Pascagoula, Mississippi after a few years where Bob and
Harriet adopted two children: a son, Paul Jay, in 1964, and a daughter, Elizabeth Anne, in 1968. While in Pascagoula, Bob joined The Gideons International and began a lifelong passion for spreading the Word of God across the world. Tragedy struck and the family lost Harriet in a car accident in 1970. Bob married Carolyn Patricia Spivey in 1972 and they were blessed to celebrate 50 years of marriage just this past October. In 1973.

The family moved to Dallas, Texas where Bob began working as a chemical consulting engineer for Turner, Mason & Associates. He retired from the company in 2007 and moved into working full-time with the Gideons. The highlight of Bob's service with the Gideons was a missionary trip to Africa in 1984 where he saw many "come to the knowledge of the saving grace of Jesus Christ". In 1981, Bob and Carolyn adopted another daughter, Trisha Grace. Tragedy struck in 1983 when their son, Paul, died of an unexpected heart attack. Despite his own sorrow, Bob was a rock for others who were mourning as his hope has always been in Christ alone and he knew he would see his son again, someday.

Bob is known for his amazingly generous heart, allowing numerous nieces and nephews to attend higher education that, otherwise, would not have been possible without loans. He supported untold numbers of missionaries throughout his life, some even living with Bob and Carolyn if the need arose. Bob had a tender heart that wept with those who wept and rejoiced with those who rejoiced. He offered testaments to almost everyone he came into contact with and was never afraid to share his hope and faith in Christ. Bob always welcomed others into his home and heart. One coworker describes Bob as "leaving a large legacy".

Bob and Carolyn were blessed to visit the Holy Lands with her parents. They also visited Australia, Canada, took numerous camping trips to Estes Park, Colorado and all over the United States. Bob was committed to offering his family as many experiences and opportunities as possible. Bob was a fan of the Bill Gothard Institute and attended a number of their seminars, regularly using their material at home with his family to build positive character qualities.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Harriet; son, Paul Jay; siblings, Joe, Mary Anne Stephenson, Rose Beese, Roy, and Jay. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn, of Dallas, TX; daughter Beth and spouse Phil Adell of Celina, TX; daughter Trisha and spouse Scott Paradise of Dallas; grandchildren (Anna, Jacob, Rebecca, Jessica, Carson, Paul, and Emma); brother, Dr. James Cunningham and spouse Gwen of College Station, TX; numerous nieces and nephews and a multitude of extended family and loving friends.

Bob's number one goal in life was to advance Christ's gospel across the world. Therefore, in lieu of flowers, the family requests that you please donate New Testaments in Bob's memory with The Gideons International.

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Services will be held at Tyler Street United Methodist Church on January 7, 2023, at 11:00 am.
Visitation/viewing will begin at 10:00 am in Yeats Hall at the same location but just below the
main sanctuary.