Obituary of Helen Cecelia Cunningham

Helen Cunningham - Former Verona Teacher

Helen Cunningham passed away at home on June 20, 2020 of natural causes.

Helen was born at All Souls Hospital in Morristown, NJ, on August 4, 1925.  She

was a long time resident of Boonton, NJ, attending Our Lady of Mount Carmel

school through the eighth grade.  Miss Cunningham continued her education at

Boonton High School, graduating in 1942.  She was accepted at Newark State

Teacher's College, in Newark, NJ (now Kean University).  In her four years at

NSTC, Helen was a member of Alpha Theta Pi, a social sorority.  In her junior

year, she was elected to Kappa Delta Pi, the National Honor Society in

Education. Upon graduation in June of 1946, Helen secured a position at

Brookdale Avenue School in Verona, NJ.  Over the years, she taught third, fourth

and finally, fifth grades.  She retired in 1982 due to a family illness.

Helen and her sister Marie were enthusiastic travelers, visiting all 50 of the United

States, and all of the Canadian provinces, mainly by car.   In total, they visited

more than 75 countries in their travels to Europe, South America, Asia and

Africa.  Their longest journey came when they embarked on a world

cruise lasting 106 days.  Along with travel and teaching, Helen gained her MA in

Education at Paterson University in Wayne.  She and Marie maintained a wide

circle of friends and fellow travelers throughout their lives. Helen started her day

with practice on one of several languages she was interested in, and was an avid

reader, visiting the Mountain Lakes library weekly.

Helen is survived by cousins in the Hull and O’Grady families, plus numerous

other relatives throughout NJ.  Arrangements for burial are at the Dangler, Lewis

and Carey Funeral Home, 312 West Main St, Boonton.  Visiting hours are 2 to 4

PM, and 7 to 9 PM on Friday, June 26, 2020 at the funeral home.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be

celebrated at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 910 Birch St in Boonton, on

Saturday,June 27, 2020 at 10:00 AM.  Interment will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery,

Wootton at Green St. in Boonton. Please be advised that anyone entering the Funeral Home or Church, must wear a mask. In lieu of flowers, donations in Helen's name to St. Jude Childrens Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN, would be greatly appreciated.