Frank Cunningham, of Woodbine, passed away on May 28, 2024. Beloved father to Stacy and Emma, father-in-law to Tyson and Ian, and dear papa to Esther, Josiah, Ruth, and Eve. Frank was important to many people, and many people were important to him. He considered the Rosemeadow school community a valuable and significant part of his life and looked upon the Southwest church, and church Australia-wide, as part of his family.  

 

He is dearly loved and missed. 

 

Born to Philomena Cunningham in England on November 15, 1951, Frank spent a few short years with his mother before being placed in a Boy’s Home and foster care, where he spent the rest of his childhood. 

 

Frank married Faith Garbutt on January 13, 1973, and the pair soon set out on an adventure, moving to Australia after 6 weeks of marriage, with only 200 pounds to their name and no jobs promised. They were only 21 and 19, respectively. 

 

After some time, Frank began working as a Gas fitter for the Natural Gas Company of Australia. He worked in various roles eventually being promoted to a supervisor position, for which he won various awards. 

 

In 1985, Frank and Faith were introduced to the church of Christ. Here, they developed friendships with the Hartman, Powell, and Kessee families, along with other church members. After some time of Bible study and personal reflection, Frank was baptized into Christ in 1987.

 

In 1991, after 28 years of separation, Frank located his mother in Sydney. He continued to visit his mother regularly, developing a relationship with her and striving to be a kind and loving son. In time, Frank came to understand that she loved him and did her best to care for him.

 

Though Frank and Faith separated and divorced in 1993, they remained friends.

Upon retiring from the gas company, Frank began working with the Southwest church of Christ in Campbelltown, alongside Kent Hartman. After some years, the Hartmans moved back to the USA, and Frank took on the task of being the full-time minister. In this position, he grew and flourished. Taking on new challenges and developing his skills as a teacher and preacher. 

 

While working with the church, Frank helped mentor a number of missionary apprentices, organize a yearly retreat for young adults, take part in planning the over 50s retreat, and participate in numerous Bible studies.  

 

Besides the work of the church, Frank invested himself in the local community and was especially focused on supporting children. He was an important part of the Breakfast Club at Rosemeadow Public School, which helped feed children who may not have enough to eat. He also taught scripture class for many years, not only at Rosemeadow but also at Blairmount Primary School (which is the school Emma and Stacy went to as children). In later years, he became a chaplain and tutor at Rosemeadow, which he thoroughly enjoyed. In these roles, he helped many children develop their learning skills, while also providing physical, spiritual, and emotional support.

 

After Frank's mother passed away in 2012, Frank connected with his extended family across the world and learned of his Irish heritage. This discovery marked a significant moment in his life. His Irish family was a great blessing to him, embracing him, and helping him whole. It was a joy for him to visit, see his family history, and meet so many members of the Cunnigham clan. He quickly fell in love with all things Ireland, which transformed his wardrobe, hobbies, and home decor! It even impacted the crockpot dishes he would bring to church as he sought out Irish fare to cook and share with everyone. 

 

It is hard to summarize the life of such an amazing human being in a few words. In a nutshell, we can say that Frank loved his family, God’s word, the church, his school community, Ireland, the West Tigers, and chocolate. He had an uncanny knack for making people feel at ease. He was approachable, humble, loving, kind, and generous. He had the warmest smile and sweetest laugh. He knew how to listen and how to love well. 

 

A dedicated father and grandfather, Frank always had time for his family. With phone calls, cards, visits, and texts, we had no doubt about his deep love for us. We can’t believe we were lucky enough to call him our own. Always up for a game, he spent many hours playing with his kids and grandkids.

 

One comfort we have in this difficult time is knowing that Frank was happy and content. He thoroughly enjoyed his work with the church and the school and had deep, fulfilling relationships with family and friends. 

 

May we all strive to be more like Frank. To love others well. To listen intently. To mark our words with kindness and grace. To minister to the hurting. To be humble, hard-working, selfless, generous, and willing to share.

 

Let’s stand firm and keep pressing on until we see him again.