Dr. Fenton Sims Cunningham

Dr. Fenton Sims Cunningham, Jr., 81, died Saturday, June 18, 2005. He was born in Asheville on February 24, 1924 and was a dedicated son to his belated parents, Lucille Fears Cunningham and Fenton Sims Cunningham. Dr. Cunningham was a World War II veteran and served as an Airborne Infantryman and in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in the European theatre. He served on the board of the Asheville Merchants Association and was a member of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce and the YMCA Board. He was a former member of and Sunday school teacher at the First Congregational Church, a member of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church and attended Arden Presbyterian Church. He loved music, playing the organ on occasion at church and later played an array of percussion instruments in the Louisville Symphony. He also was a member of the Asheville Drum and Bugle Corps. Dr. Cunningham was a graduate of the University of Louisville with a BS degree and a DMD in general dentistry. He was a dentist in Asheville for 46 years and was a member of the Buncombe County Dental Society, the NC Dental Society and the American Dental Association. Dr. Cunningham loved spending time with his parents and son, riding horses on their farm. He loved the YMCA and was a central and active force in building the new YMCA in downtown Asheville. He will be missed by his many longtime friends at the Men’s Health Club and the many youth who benefited from his anonymous donations of YMCA memberships. He was a beloved husband to his wife, Doris Keeling Cunningham and loving father to his son, Fenton Sims Cunningham, III and wife Mary Lanning Cunningham. Step-children who loved him as a father included Colonel (ret) William Andrew Scroggs, Jr. and wife Kim Keleher Scroggs, Dr. Stephen Krome Scroggs and wife Patricia Hanigan Scroggs, Karol Scroggs Farlow, Linda Scroggs Cantrell and husband Jim Cantrell and eight grandchildren. Graveside services will be held at 11:00 am Tuesday in Calvary Episcopal Churchyard conducted by the Rev. Chris Yates and the Rev. Dr. Hugh L. Eichelberger. The family will receive friends from 7:00 until 8:30 pm Monday at Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian. In lieu of flowers, the family requests directing donations to the Dr. Fenton S. Cunningham, Jr. Youth Scholarship Fund c/o YMCA, 53 Asheland Avenue, Suite 105, Asheville, NC 28801.