Edward Peter Cunningham

Edward Peter Cunningham, a retired Electrical Engineer, PhD and devoted father and husband, died Thursday at the Laurel Regional Hospital due to complications from a stroke.  He was 89.  He was a graduate of University College in Dublin, Ireland and earned a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering in 1952, a Master’s Degree from Washington University in 1962 and a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1969.  He met and fell in love with Mary Kathleen “Marleen” Walsh, whom he married in 1958 in Dublin, Ireland. Residents in the Laurel community of Montpelier, Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham had three sons, John born in 1959, Edward born in 1963 and David born in 1969, who died tragically in 1996.  Mr. Cunningham worked for the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory on various programs supporting the federal government and space exploration.  He also taught at the John Hopkins University as an associate Professor and was a long term member of the Senior Staff. Dr. Cunningham retired in 1993.  Mr. Cunningham was an avid tennis player, long distance swimmer and accomplished gardener.  He enjoyed taking his family to Bethany Beach, Delaware and never missed a summer at the shore since arriving in Maryland. In addition to his wife Marleen of 59 years, he is survived by two sons, John and Edward, their wives, Lisa and Colleen, his grandchildren: Katherine, Connor, Kelly, Eric, Luc, Alec, Sean, Alex and Caroline with fond memories of his first grandchild Ali (deceased). Mr. Cunningham was a longtime parishioner of the St Nicholas Catholic Church in Laurel Maryland, where a memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday 5/3/17.