Ramona Cunningham

Ramona Cunningham of Omaha, NE, formerly of Cherokee, Iowa, passed away peacefully in Omaha on Friday, April 13, 2012 with her loving family at her side. Funeral services will be arranged by the Greenwood Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa with services planned for Tuesday, April 17th at 10:30 at the Greenwood Funeral Home with a luncheon following. The interment service scheduled for the family members will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cherokee, Iowa. Memorials may be sent to Hearts United for Animals, 73418 638th Avenue, Auburn, NE. 68305. Ramona Schlinz Cunningham was born on July 5th, 1915 in rural Ida County near Holstein, Iowa to Arthur and Bertha (Ihms) Schlinz. She was raised on a farm with several brothers and sisters and later moved to Cherokee, Iowa where she married James C. Cunningham. She and Jim proudly raised and educated their six sons in Cherokee where she lived until 1993 when she moved to Omaha to live with her son, Mark. She was active, alert, involved and productive until her last week when she had prepared the Easter dinner including salads, desserts, main dish and baked goods. Ramona was a proud, lifelong homemaker who excelled in every aspect of homemaking, including cooking, baking, candies, desserts, sewing, stitching, needlepoint, crafts, gardening and nearly every task requiring creativity. She consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic and a determined attitude, which resulted in the accomplishment of a great number of activities in a day's time. Ramona was known as a perfectionist who set high expectations for herself and her loved ones. She will be remembered for her enthusiasm, high energy level and commitment to family and extended family. Ramona was the center of activity in her family and one who saw to it that there was an abundance of gifts, food, and love for everyone at each family gathering. Her laughter could be heard down the block, especially playing games and she was always at her best when with her family. The value of education was instilled in her sons and she was a model for setting goals and accomplishing those goals through unmatched stamina and strength over 96 years. She saw to it that each of her sons accepted Christ and became members of St. Paul's United Methodist Church as she herself had done. Ramona was a member of the church for over sixty years and was also a member of Church Circle and Ladies Division of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Ramona is preceded in death by her parents and later by her husband, James C. Cunningham in 1980. She is also preceded in death by her brothers Hugo (Florence) of Cushing, Alvin (Ann, Lydia) of Hanover, Harlan (Esther) of Danbury and Lloyd of Holstein. Sisters were infant Goldie, Milda Boock Johnson of Holstein, Malinda Fell of Cherokee and Cleo (Art) Jepsen of Sioux City. She is also preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Sandy (Charles) Cunningham of Cedar Rapids and grandson, James Charles Cunningham of Maryland. She is survived by sons Vernon (Sherryl) of Cherokee, Roger (Deane) of Yorba Linda, CA., J. Charles (Carol) of Cedar Rapids, Douglas (Barbara) of Urbandale, Gary (partner, Ken Bennett) of Phoenix, AZ. and Mark of Omaha, nine grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. Sister in law Virginia Schlinz of Woodbine and 25 nieces and nephews also survive her.

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