Joan Cunningham

Joan Rockey Cunningham, 85 of Avon, CT and Boynton Beach, FL died Tuesday July 6, 2004 in Avon. Born in Chicago, IL, the daughter of the late I. Willard and Gladys Gilderoy Scott Rockey, she had lived in West Hartford for 40 years, moving to Avon 10 years ago. She was a graduate of Shimer College and Northwestern University where she earned her masters in education, before continuing her education at UCONN and Oxford University in England. Joan taught first grade in the West Hartford School system for over 30 years teaching at Wolcott, Duffy, and for most of her career at Morley School. She retired in 1990. Joan was active in her church and community. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of West Hartford for 50 years, where she was a member of the music committee, the choir, a pastoral search committee, the Christian education committee, and co-lead an effort to revitalize the memorial garden, Additionally she was a member of Church of the Palms in Delray Beach FL for ten years. She was a member of the Newington Square Dance Club, a Den mother, a founding member of Connecticut Milk Consumer?s Association, volunteered with Meals on Wheels, Bethesda Hospital in Florida, and the Newington Public Schools to aid reading literacy. She traveled often and was never afraid to try something new like parasailing at 80. She was continually curious about the world, eager to be constantly educated about new developments in education and to underscore it?s importance. In addition to her travels she was an expert knitter and seamstress, and loved to garden. Joan is survived by her son Peter Cunningham and his wife Jean of Groton MA, and their children Jenny and Laura Cunningham; her daughters; Jill, her husband Allen of Newington, and their daughter Liza; Wendy Cunningham and her husband William T. Berry of Bowdoinham, ME, and their children, Katie and Jamie Berry, her nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held on Sunday July 11 at 2 p.m. in the First Baptist Church of West Hartford, 90 North Main Street, 06107 West Hartford. Molloy Funeral Home has care of arrangements. Memorial donations in Joan?s memory may be made to the Music Fund of the First Baptist Church of West Hartford.