The life of Colonel Patrick J. Cunningham was celebrated Tuesday morning in a solemn Roman Catholic service at St. Pius X Church in Getzville where he was recognized as a great American and a greater soldier of The Lord.
The Principal Celebrant was The Most Reverend Robert J. Cunningham, the Bishop of Syracuse and the brother of the Executive Director of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park since 1993. The Most Reverend Richard J. Malone, the Bishop of the Buffalo Diocese, was a concelebrant with four other Bishops and nearly 40 priests on the altar and in the first three rows of the church.
The presence of so many clergy was not surprising to support a Bishop, who had just lost his brother. However, for those who knew Colonel Cunningham, a graduate of St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute and Canisius College and an active parishioner at St. Pius for the past 20 years, the showing of so many clergy was not surprising.
As much as he loved the country he helped protect for over 30 years of active military service in the United States Army, Colonel Cunningham was more a man of faith, his brother said in an extremely moving sermon.
“We shared a bedroom as we grew up in Kenmore and there was a photo on the wall of Christ at a door with no handle. My mother told us it meant you had to open the door of our heart to let Christ in,” Bishop Cunningham explained. “Pat was always a Christian gentleman and he lived his Catholic faith wherever he went and I am sure he influenced many people along the way because of that faith.”
Colonel Cunningham earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Canisius College and went on to earn an M.B.A. from Syracuse University in Comptrollership, in addition to completing U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
In addition to the Naval Park, Colonel Cunningham served numerous organizations in many capacities, including Past President of the Historic Naval Ships Assn., Military Officers Assn. of Western New York, Navy League, and the New York State Council of Chapters, Military Officers Assn. of America. He also was active on the board of the Greater Niagara Frontier Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, American Legion, and the Rotary Club of Buffalo. He also was a game official for high school basketball and football games in WNY for many years.
“He was really a man of church and state but there was never any conflict among the two for him,” Bishop Cunningham said. “Pat was stationed around the world while serving his country for the Army and with each assignment, that would take him away from his family, he looked at it as another door Christ was opening for him. Pat was truly a man of faith, hope and charity.”
Colonel Cunningham’s late wife of 53 years, Sheila, and their five children knew his love for our country was strong and how honored he was to lead the Naval & Military for nearly 25 years.
“When Pat’s family sat around the dinner table, he always asked, ‘What you have done for your country today?’ to each of the kids,” Bishop Cunningham related. “Over the years the kids knew the routine and always had an answer but it was often a challenge when Pat would ask their friends the same question.
“Regardless of how my brother was feeling, it was always a great day in his eyes. Sheila would always say to him as he left for the park, ‘Have a great day.’ His response was always, ‘All days are good. Some are just better than others.’”
They say God works in mysterious ways. Consider this as Pat thought about his role at the park this season after being hospitalized five times since Christmas for lingering, long issues he has been dealing with but you never heard him complain. He came to a recent Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park Executive Committee meeting, of which I am Secretary, and presented a succession plan for himself. The plan included a recommendation for his future replacement, Captain Brian W. Roche, a 36-year Coast Guard veteran, rising from the ranks of Seaman Apprentice to Captain (0-6). The Executive Committee then interviewed Capt. Roche and could easily see why Colonel Cunningham recommended him.
The full Naval & Military Board of Directors met last Thursday evening and unanimously voted to accept the succession with Capt. Roche becoming the park’s next Executive Director while the Colonel retains the role of Executive Director Emeritus working closely with Capt. Roche.
The Colonel passed away the next morning and the day after that the park officially opened for the season with a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the arrival of the first two ships to Buffalo’s waterfront.
It was with a heavy heart that Board Chair Donald A. Alessi welcomed the guests without Colonel Cunningham in his usual seat in the front row proudly wearing his Naval & Military Park shirt, Naval & Military Park baseball cap and an American flag lapel pin on his sport coat.
Alessi began the ceremony with a dedication of the 2017 season to the “spirit and memory of Colonel Patrick J. Cunningham.
“Colonel Cunningham was instrumental in moving the park from its former site underneath the Skyway to this beautiful location we enjoy today,” he continued. “He spent a career in service and sacrifice to his country—and he continued that commitment throughout his retirement. His vision turned our Naval Park—the largest inland park in the United States—into the crown jewel we enjoy on our waterfront today.”
A number of elected officials were at the ceremony and they all spoke eloquently about Colonel Cunningham.
“He was a gentleman at all times who did so much for this park with little personal fanfare,” said Buffalo Mayor Byron B. Brown after talking about the impact the Naval & Military Park has on the city’s redeveloped waterfront. “Colonel Cunningham will be missed.”
Senator Christopher L. Jacobs introduced a resolution on the floor of the New York State Senate this week eulogizing Colonel Cunningham. Senators Tim Kennedy and Tim Croci also spoke before the resolution passed unanimously. On Saturday, Sen. Jacobs said, “I have been involved with the park for many years and as Erie County Clerk I interacted with the Colonel many times with my Help A Vet program. He was a special man and a great, proud veteran.”
Buffalo Councilmember David Franczyk added, “Colonel Cunningham was a wonderful, likeable gentle man and I enjoyed my interactions with him whenever I would visit the park over the years.”
Erie County Legislator Barbara Miller Williams, who recently retired after 30 years of service in the Army, spoke eloquently of her friend, Colonel Cunningham. “He loved this park, he loved and respected all veterans and most of all, he truly loved his country. We will miss him but his spirit will live on forever at this park.”
Paul Marzello, the park’s Development Director, closed the program perfectly after a gun salute, taps and the U.S. Naval Sea Cadets Corps. retired the colors to the sounds of the Union Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps.
“This is Colonel Cunningham’s Naval and Military Park,” he said.
Colonel Cunningham would have celebrated his 79th birthday at the park on April 1.