John William Cunningham, age 82, died peacefully on May 15, 2024, at St Joseph's Hospital in Nashua, NH, following a brief battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his loving wife and family.

A resident of Merrimack, NH, John was originally of Mansfield, PA, and the eldest of nine children. He was predeceased by his parents, John and Marie (Dann) Cunningham; his brothers Michael, Stephen, Patrick, Timothy, and Martin; and his sister Marie (Cunningham) Blanchard.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Marjorie (Sechrist) Cunningham, originally of Erie, PA; his son, Robert (Bob), also of Merrimack, NH; his daughters, Kathleen, of Amherst, NH, and Kristen of Adelaide, Australia; his granddaughter, Allyson of Nashua, NH; his sister, Catherine (Kate) Seefeldt; his brother, Daniel Cunningham; and many cherished in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

John, a graduate of Gannon University in Erie, PA, carved a successful path as an electrical engineer. His career spanned several decades at IBM and BITE Inc., a consulting company that he co-founded in the 1980s. His dedication and expertise were instrumental in his professional journey, and he was fortunate to enjoy a long and fulfilling retirement in good health.

John was a loving husband and father and a man of adventure. He embraced his early nickname "Crash Cunningham" and thrilled his passengers with his daring driving. His love for adventure extended to motorcycle riding, scuba diving, and, most notably, sailing the vast ocean on his boat, SV Hog Heaven. He often sailed solo into his late seventies and embarked on numerous voyages to Nova Scotia and the Caribbean islands. His tales of near-death experiences were a testament to his resilience and innovation and his longevity was a pleasant surprise to all. He lived life to the fullest, working hard and playing hard, and his spirit will be deeply missed.

The services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to New England Science & Sailing (nessf.org)