John was born July 7, 1922, in Anchorage, Alaska to John Todd Cunningham Sr. and Eva Lockhart Cunningham. After graduating from Anchorage High School, he attended the University of Washington for a year and then joined the Merchant Marine. After graduating from Merchant Marine school, he served as a 3rd mate in World War II convoys across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

After the war, he moved to California where his parents had retired. He purchased a tuna fishing boat, which he operated for a time before joining Global Marine Exploration. He soon moved up in rank to become a captain of several Global Marine vessels. Mr. Cunningham captained vessels off the coasts of Libya, Iran, New Guinea, Newfoundland and Australia.

While in Australia, he met Margaret McKenzie Hamilton from the Isle of Arran, Scotland. They were married in Sacramento, Calif. in 1967 and spent a number of years living and working in Morocco, Norway and Argentina, making friends wherever they moved. After moving to Homer, John joined with Bob Glud, Bill Tingley, Jim Hurd, Jerry Robinson and Ed Murphy in 1975 to form the Southwest Alaska Pilots' Association.

John was a member of the Homer Elks Club, the Pioneers of Alaska and the International Association of Masters, Mates and Pilots. During his life, John was a deep sea diver, airplane pilot, ski jumper and downhill skier, enjoying skiing well past age 70.

His family said, "He will be remembered by his family and friends for his adventurous spirit."

John was preceded in death by his wife Margaret, who died in Nov. 1988.

He is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy and Arthur Dublirer of California; sister-in-law Jane Hamilton and her children and grandchildren of Melbourne, Australia; nieces Carol, Addy and Susan Gidley of California; nephew Jeffrey Gidley of California; and several great-nieces and great-nephews