Whitefish resident Joseph Lyle Cunningham Jr. died in the early evening on December 13 in Kalispell. Passing away after a long illness, he was 85 years young. Known as Lyle by all who knew him, he was surrounded by members of his family at the time of his passing.
Born in 1931 in Los Angeles, California, Lyle was a true Son of the West. After his early years in Wisconsin, Lyle was raised in Boise, Idaho, where he graduated from high school and attended Boise Junior College, which later became Boise State University. Lyle then followed in his father’s footsteps and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University in California.
It was during Lyle’s Stanford summers that he found his way to Western Montana, where he worked as a back-country surveyor on the Hungry Horse Damn project near Glacier National Park. Lyle’s deep love for Montana lasted the rest of his life. An avid river rafter, sailor, hiker, skier and swimmer, Lyle was also a world traveler, journeying to such far-flung places as India, Morocco, Turkey, El Salvador, Mexico, the Caribbean and Western Europe.
A successful business man, Lyle’s 40-year professional career began as a claims adjuster with the Traveler’s Insurance Company in Los Angeles. He went on to become a broker and then principal partner at Columbia Associates of Pasadena, California. Lyle later joined the firms of Johnson and Higgins, and Marsh-McLennan. He retired in 2000, when he and his wife, Lonnie, moved to Whitefish.
Lyle was also active in the community, serving on the boards of the Master Chorale of the Los Angeles Music Center, the Southwest Museum of Los Angeles and the Hillsides Home for Children in South Pasadena. He also belonged to the prestigious California Club of Los Angeles. Lyle was also a proud member of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitas, the Queen of the Cow Counties, Platrix Chapter, a somewhat eccentric California historical society, to say the least. But Lyle was most proud of his years with the U.S. Marine Corps, in which he served on active and reserve duty from 1953-1968, attaining the rank of captain.
Lyle is survived by Lonnie, his very-loving wife of 34 years; his brother Jim Cunningham of Orange County, CA; his sister Charlene Burns-Hawley of Twisp, WA; and his step-mother Dorothy Cunningham, of Arcadia, CA. Lyle is also survived by two sons, James Cunningham, of Grants Pass, OR, and Michael Cunningham, of Aromas, CA; and a daughter, Lori Samuels, also of Aromas.
A family patriarch in his own right, Lyle also will be greatly missed by his 20 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
A memorial will be held this Saturday, Dec. 17 at 11am, at All Saints Episcopal Church in Columbia Falls. There will be an interment ceremony for Lyle’s ashes following the service. Lyle’s family asks that friends limit their expressions of support and sympathy to cards only.