Milton Cunningham

Milton Emery Cunningham September 13, 1928 August 3, 2013 Milton Emery Cunningham of Waco, Texas, died on August 3, 2013 of complications following a stroke, having lived his life to the praise of the glorious grace of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was eighty-four. Memorial service will be 2 p.m., Wednesday, August 7, at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church. Burial will be private. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey. Milton was born in Victoria, Texas on September 13, 1928, to Milton and Bertha Cunningham. His mother died a month after he was born. His father was an itinerant preacher and church planter, so they moved a great deal. He graduated from Austin High School and enrolled in Baylor when he was just sixteen years old. While at Baylor, he served as manager of the football team, earned the nickname "Squirrel," gave his life to Christ, and answered the call to the ministry. He treasured his relationship with Dr. W. R. White, whom he credited with bringing him to faith. He graduated from Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; he also received honorary degrees from the University of Corpus Christi and Baylor. He and Barbara were missionaries in Africa for fifteen years, serving in Southern Rhodesia, Zambia, Kenya, and Ghana. He was Senior Pastor at Westbury Baptist Church in Houston for seventeen years before moving to Baylor where he served as Chaplain and then as Sports Chaplain. In recent years, he was interim pastor at First Baptist churches in San Antonio, Athens, Corsicana, and Woodville. He loved his connection to the Cowboy Church at White Mound near Gatesville. He has also founded Heart and Hands, a missions foundation that sent students all over the world. He served as President of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and as President of the Board of Trustees at Baylor. He was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of Baylor and also received the Huckins Award. He leaves behind a legacy of family, faith, love, laughter, old hymns, and the belief that one should never drive past a ball game or an ice cream stand without stopping. He is survived by his wife of fifty-seven years, Barbara Schultz Cunningham; two sons: Milton Brasher-Cunningham and his wife, Ginger Brasher-Cunningham from Durham, North Carolina and Miller and his wife, Ginger Cunningham from Dallas, Texas; and two grandsons: Ben from New Orleans, Louisiana and Scott and his wife, Marissa Cunningham from Wheaton, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Milton Cunningham Scholarship Fund at Baylor University. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com.