Hilda Mary Cunningham

Hilda Mary Cunningham was born on May 12, 1920, to William and Georgina (Warwick) Lowe in the Village of Everton, Liverpool, England. She lived in Liverpool and attended the Queen Mary High School for Girls, graduating in 1938. She also attended Lincoln College in England for her teaching degree. From 1941-1945, Hilda held several teaching positions in the Liverpool area. Her first assignment was teaching five year olds and she had 54 students in her class. By the end of World War II she was teaching 15 year olds. From 1945 – 1950, she taught at a modern school on Sheil Rd. In the late summer of 1951, Hilda moved to Pipestone, Minnesota as a Fulbright exchange teacher. On July 12, 1952 she was united in marriage to Lawrence Cunningham at the First Presbyterian Church in Pipestone. She became a naturalized US citizen in 1956. The couple lived on the Cunningham family farm in Sweet Township from 1952 – 1997. In 1977, Hilda attended Southwest State University in Marshall and received her BA education degree with a minor in history. On June 28, 1993, Lawrence preceded Hilda in death. On July 1, 1997, Hilda moved into the Ridgeview Estates in Pipestone where she lived until January of 2016, at which time she became a resident of the Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone. In July of 2016, Hilda was admitted into the Pipestone County Hospice House where she died peacefully on Saturday, August 6, 2016 at the age of 96 years, two months, and 24 days.

Hilda was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Pipestone where she served as a deacon and an elder. She had been a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) while in England. She was baptized on November 27, 1953 at the First Presbyterian Church in Pipestone. She was a member of the PCCW. Hilda also devoted her time to being a member of the Current Events Club, was on the steering committee for the Senior Citizens Center, a member of the Prayer Shawl Group, a member of the Friends of the Library book club, and the Kids and Communities Committee. She was also instrumental in starting the Pipestone Food Shelf. Hilda enjoyed passing the time knitting and crocheting, playing cards, and gardening. She loved to travel and took several trips to England and wintered in Hawaii until Lawrence’s death. Hilda loved telephoning, sending emails and pictures to her family and friends especially her English nieces.

Hilda is lovingly remembered by her four sons, Alan Scott (Claudia) of Alden, MN, Ian Peter (Cynthia) of Pipestone, MN, Brian Geoffrey (David Luke) of Sioux Falls, SD, and William Paul (Toni) of Pipestone; six grandchildren, Casey (Aubrie), Dara (Evan) Getchell, Richard, Mindy (Ben) Werder, Kelly (Jeremy) Iversen, and Christy (Colin) Steen; 13 great-grandchildren plus one on the way, Riley, Byron, Bebo, Leeland, Ivan, Silas, Remington, Avery, Judah, Tatum, Palmer, Harvey, and Ezekiel; and many nieces and nephews around the world. Hilda was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence; her parents; three sisters, Ida, Brenda, and Jean; one brother, Vernon; and one granddaughter, Melissa.

Blessed be her memory!

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to:

The Pipestone County Hospice House, the Food Shelf of Pipestone, Atlas for Life, or a charity of your choice.