Theodore Webster (Ted) Cunningham, age 88, died on December 13, 2025, at Lima Memorial Hospital after a brief illness, surrounded by his nieces. Born July 5, 1937, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Theodore and Betty (Baumgartner) Cunningham. A graveside service was attended by family and many friends packed together and supporting each other on a cold day on December 20, 2025, in Maple Grove Cemetery, Bluffton, Ohio.  Ted filled his 88 years with curiosity, humor and the rare quality as a good listener to make every person he met feel like a friend.

During his time at Mennonite Memorial Home in Bluffton, Ohio, Ted became known for his easy smile, gentle wit and perfectly timed jokes for the nursing staff. Whether sharing a story or simply brightening someone’s morning, he had a gift for bringing joy into any room.

Ted earned his degree in Education from Kent State University and began a meaningful career as a high school teacher at Lima Central Catholic. His professional journey culminated at the University of Toledo, where he delighted in teaching Spanish and encouraging students to explore the world through language. Education was not just his occupation—it was one of his greatest passions.

A dedicated genealogist, Ted devoted countless hours to tracing the Baumgartner and Cunningham families' Swiss, German and Welsh roots. He treasured the stories he uncovered, traveling with friends, discovering his ancestors’ graves and connecting the threads of family history across generations.

Raised in the Methodist tradition, Ted later found a spiritual home in Bluffton, Ohio. He was baptized into the Mennonite faith and became a member of Grace Mennonite Church in Pandora, Ohio, where he embraced fellowship, community and service.

Ted’s love of culture and adventure took him across Europe and Central America, with memorable travels to West Germany, Switzerland, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico. His heart for service led him to volunteer with Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH), helping provide eyeglasses to those in need throughout Central America.

In Bluffton, Ted also shared his talents as part of the staff at The Bluffton News and served actively—at one point as president—in the Swiss Community Historical Society, where his enthusiasm for local history left a lasting mark.

Ted is survived by his son Andrew Cunningham; first cousins Dave Baumgartner, Richard Baumgartner and Marshall Cunningham; nieces Jennifer (Busey) Viernes and Elizabeth Barrett; nephew Jim Busey; and many more family members and friends who cherished him.

He was preceded in death by his sister Nancy (Cunningham) Weese, brother-in-law Richard Weese and his beloved daughter Kaitlyn Ann Cunningham, whose memory he carried with him always.

Friends and family will share a dinner, memories, stories and jokes after church service at Grace Mennonite Church, Pandora on January 18, 2026

Ted’s life was filled with kindness, curiosity, community and humor—and those gifts continue on in the many people who were fortunate enough to know him.

Memorial contributions can be made to Grace Mennonite Church, 502 E. Main St., Pandora, Ohio 45877 and the Swiss Community Historical Society, P.O. Box 5, Bluffton, Ohio 45817.

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