Edward J.P. Cunningham, 84 of Hendersonville died Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at Park Ridge Hospital. Born, Los Angeles, California, he was a son of the late Edward Cunningham and Marjorie Chapman Cunningham.
Surviving is Bonnie Brown Cunningham, his beloved wife of 25 years; a son Edward of Seattle, Washington; and a daughter Carrie Kauffman and a grandson Felix Kauffman of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Cunningham studied motion picture production under William DeMille at University of Southern California. His career included working in sales for International Motors, in Beverly Hills Calif., where he sold imported cars to most movie stars in the 1950s. He then founded Autocessories, Ltd. Company; was Vice President, S.H. Arnolt Co. an Import Car Distributor, was a Styling Manager for Packard Motor Car Co., Styling Manager for Chrysler Corporation, Automotive Design Director for Chatham Mfg. Co. for 36 years. When he worked as an Automotive Sales Consultant for Chatham Mfg. Co. he made 22 Trade Missions to Pacific Rim. He personally negotiated the first American Textile sale to any Asian automobile manufacturer.
His interests included Restoring Antique Houses and Classic Cars. He wrote humor columns for several national magazines and enjoyed fishing, lapidary, and movie history.
A life member of the Industrial Designers Society of America, he also founded the Detroit Colour Council; was a member of Delta Sigma Phi; a life member of the Huron River Club; and was a member of the Antique Automobile Club of America, The Packard Club and the Model A Ford Club.
A gathering of friends to celebrate his life will be held from 2 ñ 4 PM Saturday, April 21, 2012 at The Cedars, 277 Seventh Avenue West.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, Gift Processing Center, PO Box 5018 Hagerstown, MD 21741-5018, http://prkorg.convio.net/goto/edcunningham.
Service
12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
The Cedars - Directions
277 7th Avenue West
Hendersonville, NC 28791
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