My Dad

This is the published obit for my dad:



Riviera Beach - John W. Cunningham died December 20, 2007 following an extended illness. Born June 13, 1928 in Plant City, Florida and grew up there on the family farm. He attended Fessenden Academy in Ocala and in 1952 graduated with a degree in Business from Florida A&M University. He spent much of his adult life with his family in the West Palm Beach area. In 1960 Mr. Cunningham became the second black licensed independent insurance agent in the state of Florida. He founded and operated Cunningham Insurance Agency for more than 25 years before retiring in 1987. The balance of his life was spent pursuing other business interests, working to improve his community and serving his church. He also enjoyed travel which has taken him to Europe and South America. His interest in improving the community led him in 1989 to serve a term on the city council of Riviera Beach. Above all, he dedicated himself to his church and family. Mr. Cunningham was known for his “quiet strength,” was a member of the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, has been active with Bealsville Incorporated, the One Hundred Black Men of Palm Beach, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the FAMU Alumni Association. Surviving are his wife of 57 years, Isabella Green Cunningham; his daughter, Latricia Cunningham Donley and husband William of Miami; sons, Juan Cunningham and wife Sharon of Virginia Beach, Virginia and Karlon Cunningham of Atlanta. Mr. Cunningham is also survived by his siblings, Ida White of Plant City, Rena Turner of Tampa, GS Cunningham of Plant City and TJ Cunningham, Esq. of West Palm Beach; grandchildren, Hillery and John P. Cunningham of Jacksonville and William III and John Donley of Miami, together with a host of cousins, nieces and nephews. The funeral service for Mr. Cunningham will be conducted at the Mt. Zion Church in Riviera Beach; in lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the church's building fund. To express condolences and/or make donations Visit PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries



These were fairly basic facts, but it did not tell the whole story of the person. A father that always made me feel special, as I could always see an "I am proud of you" and "I love you son" in his expression and tone. While I felt special I believe that he conveyed that same message to my older sister and younger brother. What a Dad! In terms of emotions we were a very rich family. I will miss him, as will my mom, sister, brothers and others that knew him. I love you dad.

Daddy knows best

Hopefully we can get this all behind us and get back to some healthy tennis, fans of the game are starved. Let dad pay the price and lets see you both in Australia in January.

Williams Trial

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Attorneys for a pair of promoters suing tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams and their father over a tennis match accused the three of perjury.
In a motion filed Tuesday in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, the attorneys accuse the sisters of "a repeated pattern of deception and falsehood."
Promoters Carol Clarke and Keith Rhodes, owners of a company called CCKR, allege that the sisters' father, Richard Williams, signed a contract on their behalf committing his daughters to play in a 2001 "Battle of the Sexes" match. The promoters claim they lost millions of dollars after the sisters reneged on the deal.
Despite tax returns that show payments to Richard Williams for management fees, Venus and Serena Williams have both testified that their father has never been their manager and had no authority to commit them to a deal. Attorneys for the sisters and their father claim the payments were mischaracterized for tax-deduction purposes and that Richard Williams was paid merely for coaching services.
A telephone call Tuesday to the plaintiffs' attorneys was not immediately returned.

The sisters' attorney, F. Malcolm Cunningham, said the sisters are the only ones who can commit to any contract where money is exchanged for their services.
"Since Venus and Serena have been 18, they sign their own contracts without exception," Cunningham said outside court. "Nobody signs for them."
After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Jeffrey Winikoff ordered Venus and Serena Williams' attorneys to turn over to him more than two dozen sponsorship and endorsement agreements by Friday.
Richard Williams has acknowledged drawing up terms of a potential contract for the 2001 event, but he insists he told promoters they would have to go through the IMG sports agency, which represents Venus and Serena, to complete any agreement. The promoters say he made no such disclaimer.