Mr. Jack E. Cunningham, 94, of Galesburg, Illinois, died at 8:33 p.m. Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the Knox County Nursing Home in Knoxville, Illinois.
He was born on April 27, 1932, in La Fayette, Illinois, to Harry and Anna Louise (Stagg) Cunningham. He married Sandra Jones, and they had a son, Mark. He later married Cathy Brown, and they had a son, Brian.
Jack is survived by his sons, Mark (and Nancy) Cunningham of Vero Beach, Florida, and Brian (and Andie Freberg) Cunningham of Memphis, Tennessee; two grandchildren, Matthew (and Jen) Cunningham and Cassie Cunningham; and two great-grandchildren, Castle and Citrine. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Jerry Cunningham; and a sister, Betty J. Dempsey.
Jack graduated from Galesburg High School in 1950. He participated in sports throughout high school and continued to support Galesburg athletes throughout his life. At the age of 19 in August of 1951, he began working for Dick Blick Art Supply Company and was one of the company’s original employees when it began operations in the Bondi Building in Galesburg. Jack worked for Dick Blick for 45 years, serving as warehouse supervisor before retiring in 1997.
Jack loved the outdoors and was active in many sports throughout his life. He lifted weights daily and enjoyed playing basketball, volleyball, softball, and kittenball, as well as swimming. He enjoyed playing horseshoes and bowling and participated in several bowling leagues in Galesburg. He was also an avid runner and participated in several marathons, including the BIX 7. Most of all, Jack loved playing golf at Bunker Links Golf Course, where he could often be found from early morning until late afternoon. He was also an avid St. Louis Cardinals and Iowa Hawkeyes fan.
Cremation will be accorded. A visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors and Cremation Services, Galesburg Chapel. A time of sharing memories of Jack will be at 5:30 p.m. at the chapel.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Galesburg High School Athletic Department.
Online condolences may be shared at www.h-p-w.com.
