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Obituary for Charles "Chuck" J. Cunningham, D.D.S.
Charles (Chuck) Joseph Cunningham, D.D.S., passed away the morning of May 3, 2021 in Littleton, Colorado at the age of 88 while surrounded by his loving children.
Chuck was born in Dyersville, Iowa on the front porch of his family’s home. His family moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin at the beginning of World War II where he attended Holy Cross Primary School and later graduated from Aquinas High School in 1951. Chuck attended St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota before transferring to Marquette University where he completed his pre-dental education and received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1957.
Chuck met Anita Carol Pelot on a blind date in La Crosse, Wisconsin and courted her for four years before becoming married on May 30, 1959. They were happily married for over 53 years.
Upon his graduation from Marquette University Dental School, Chuck entered the U.S. Navy Dental Corps where he served for 22 years and had numerous assignments around the globe. His last military assignment was at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, where he served as a consultant to the White House for endodontics, his dental specialty. Following his retirement from the Navy, Chuck became an associate professor at the University of Kentucky, College of Dentistry. Chuck and his family lived in Lexington, Kentucky for 14 years before he became a professor of dentistry at the University of Florida, College of Dentistry in 1991. Chuck retired from full-time teaching in 1996, but continued to work at the University, teaching part-time until moving to Littleton, Colorado in December of 2019 to be closer to his family.
Chuck is well known for his community involvement, from being the president of the PTA at his children’s high school, co-organizing the first annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Lexington, Kentucky, committee positions at Catholic Charities in Gainesville, Florida, to helping to make the Octoberfest celebration at his beloved Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Gainesville, Florida, a success. . Chuck was preceded in death by his loving wife Anita Carol ( Pelot) of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
Chuck is survived by three wonderful children, his son Charles (Chip) and wife Sandy of Santa Barbara, California, his daughter Shannon of St. Petersburg, Florida, and his daughter Kelly and husband Roger of Littleton, Colorado. Six fantastic grandchildren, JorDann, Christopher (Kit), Daisy, Katherine, India and Nicholas make up the remainder of his very close-knit family.
