Madonna Ruth “Donna” Cunningham

Madonna “Donna” Ruth Cunningham made the journey to her heavenly home on Friday, November 24, 2023, peacefully in her home surrounded by her family and the Spirit of the Lord. She had lived the last few years in Manor being cared for by her daughter, Lori, but had previously lived at Lake Buchanan for a little over 30 years. She had been under hospice care for the last several months with complications due to lung disease, and this past Wednesday when the Lord gave her the message that he was coming for her, peace and joy overtook her in anticipation of the journey home. Donna was an extremely loving and caring mother, grandmother, friend, and neighbor to all who knew her and will be greatly missed.

She was born in Wichita Falls, Texas on Tuesday, February 9, 1943 to John Wesley Harper and Madonna Faye Daniel Harper. She graduated from Wichita Falls High School and was a homemaker for many years, raising her children and taking an active part in their activities as a room mother, cheerleading sponsor, and Camp Fire leader, helping them grow in their interests and pursuits and teaching them to work hard for what they wanted in life and to be the best that they could be. She was in the National Thespian Society and a leader in the debate team at Wichita Falls High School. At one time in junior high she won the broad jump crown, won first in hop on one foot and ran barefoot to win the 40 yard dash in the WF Junior Olympics city track meet competition of which she was most proud! She was a fast runner even well into her 20’s, she could catch her children taking off when they were about to be in trouble for something they had done!

She loved the outdoors and spent many hours fishing with her father when she was young and later in life with her husband Cutter. She played powder puff football to support the winning Iowa Park Hawks one year as a star of the team. She was the “better half” in the guide fishing business she and Cutter had for many years and made their customers feel just like family, working right alongside Cutter in every way. She was a wonderful cook and along with Cutter produced “Donna’s Skillet”, a cookbook to share their favorite fish and seafood recipes with their friends and customers. After that, she worked for many years at Wells Fargo Bank. Donna would go far beyond for her customers, involving herself in their lives and caring for them well past their business relationship, making lifelong friendships.

She enjoyed playing pranks and cutting up alongside Cutter. She was a member of Chapel of the Hills Baptist Church and loved worshiping the Lord with her friends there. She loved all of her family and was so very proud of each one of them, and loved her friends like family as well.

She is survived by her brother John Harper and wife Shirley of Bridgeton, MO, children Lisa Patterson and husband Phil of Wichita Falls, TX, Lori Wood and Richard Whitney of Manor, TX, Bubba Carter and Michelle Slone of Round Rock, TX, Kelly Pogue and husband Kyle of Spring, TX, and special friend Linda Ross of Manor, TX , stepchildren Cathy Mundy and husband Mike of Midland, TX, Beverly Day and husband Gene of Lubbock, TX, Jim Cunningham and wife Hollye of New Braunfels, TX, and Diane Newton and husband Terry of Bangs, TX, 17 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, James “Cutter” Cunningham.

Visitation will be at 1 pm Friday and Celebration of her life at 2pm, both at the Chapel of the Hills Baptist Church, Buchanan Dam, Texas. Burial will be at Bluffton Cemetery. Officiating the service will be Reverend Steve Leftwich. Pallbearers will be grandsons Jon Cooke, Nick Wood, Ryan Kim, Simon Ramirez, Kerry Wylie, and Connor Garza. Memorials can be made to Chapel of the Hills Baptist Church at Buchanan Dam to benefit the youth ministry.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www. ClementsWilcoxBurnet. com for the Cunningham family.