Joseph Cunningham

Joseph Thomas Cunningham Jr., 80, of Fort Dodge, passed away on Sunday, May 11, 2025.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, May 15th in the Chapel of the Laufersweiler Funeral Home. Visitation will be on Thursday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the funeral home.

Survivors include his wife Cheryl "Sue" Cunningham, stepdaughters Christine (Rusty) Jondle of Fort Dodge, Stephanie (Kerry) Chase of Livermore, CO, Teresa (Eric) Swanson of St. Louis, MO, stepson Kevin Swanson of San Francisco, CA, sister Kieran (Jerry) Einwalter of Fort Dodge, and Sheila Cunningham of Peoria, AZ, and grandchildren Taylor, Kennedy, Olivia, Weston, Amelia, Hudson, Quinton, and Charlie, great grandchildren Matix, Kaia, Hayes, and Izara.

He was preceded in death by his parents Rose Marie (McElroy) and Joseph Cunningham Sr., grandparents John and Josephine Cunningham and William and Alice McElroy.

Joseph Thomas Cunningham Jr. was born on September 27, 1944 in Fort Dodge. He was raised on a farm in Clare where he attended St. Matthew's School in Clare. He graduated from St. Edmond High School in 1962 where he excelled in football. He then attended Iowa Central Community College and began working at the Fort Dodge Labs. From 1966 to 1968 Joe served his country with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Following his honorable discharge, he went back to college at Drake University and later graduated from Morningside College in 1976. Joe then did some graduate work at Iowa State University. He continued his career at Fort Dodge Animal Health where he became the director of virus production. He retired in 2002. On May 27, 1988 he was united in marriage to Cheryl Sue Swanson at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. The couple made their home on acreage near Clare. They moved to Fort Dodge in 2016. He was an accomplished dart player and competitive card player. Joe enjoyed fishing, hiking, gardening and baking. Joseph Cunningham will be deeply missed but fondly remembered. May he rest in peace, embraced by the love he so readily offered in life.