A Mass of Christian Burial for Joseph Payne Cunningham, Sr will be celebrated Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Natchitoches with Father Irion St. Romain and Father Louis Sklar co-celebrating. Immediately preceding the mass will be recitation of the Holy Rosary from 8:30-9:00 and visitation from 9:00-11:00 in the church.

Joe passed away peacefully on October 22, 2026 at his home. Born June 5, 1940 to W Peyton Sr and Mildred Hill Cunningham, Joe was the youngest of four children. He and his siblings Lallah Methvin, W Peyton Cunningham Jr and Rev John H Cunningham grew up in Natchitoches and experienced the treasures of living in a wonderful and historic small town, USA.

After graduating from St Mary’s Academy in 1956, Joe attended Northwestern College before transferring and graduating from LSU in Baton Rouge. He had wonderful memories of college, as a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and where he met many other life-long friends. While in college, he also met, Marva Glover, who he married in January 1962. After two years serving in the military, Joe and Marva returned to Natchitoches where he joined his mother in operating the Cunningham Insurance Agency. He was very active in his community his entire adult life, serving on various local boards and commissions as well as supporting NSU athletics programs. He firmly believed in right versus wrong and even though others may have disagreed with him, he followed his convictions in efforts that he believed would improve the way of life for the community. Joe’s skills as a businessman contributed to his success owning multiple businesses in insurance, radio and grocery stores before retiring in 2014.

Joe was an avid outdoorsman. He loved fishing, especially in Alaska, Canada and the beautiful Saline Lake. In 1983, he joined friends in creating the Ashbrook Island Company, a hunting club on the Mississippi River where he fished and hunted deer and turkey for over 20 years. He learned from his own father how to hunt ducks on “the prairie” of Black Lake and squirrels in the Kisatchie woods, both areas where he would, likewise, teach his three young boys how to hunt and develop a love for nature’s beauty. But Joe’s greatest outdoor passion was probably being with his golfing buddies at the Natchitoches Country Club for close to 50 years.

After Marva passed away in 2001, Joe married Patsy Oliver Rosbottom. She and Joe enjoyed traveling and spent 24 wonderful years together until her recent death just ten months previous.

Joe suffered a stroke in 2016 and although he recovered and continued to play golf for a brief period, health problems began to limit his active outdoor fun. He managed to keep his humor through many struggles while trying to keep in touch with so many of his life-long friends.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Lallah and his brother Peyton. He is survived by his three sons Joe (Terri), John (Kim) and Roger (Rachel), his step-son Harold Rosbottom, Jr., step-daughter Amy Beiringer (Andy), grandchildren Joe Payne, Caitlin, Scott, Hannah, John, Christian, Reagan, Ryan, Renea, his step-grandchildren, Catherine, Elizabeth, Christopher, Harold III and Carter as well as 8 great grandchildren. He is also survived by eight truly remarkable nieces and nephews who shared their love for Joe. His brother, Reverend John H. Cunningham is his only surviving sibling.

Joe was blessed to have had so many friends in his life. Many of those friends have known him since their childhood together, a very special blessing for someone who lived to the age of 86.

The family is very grateful for the love and care extended to Joe by the wonderful caregivers who were with him in the final year including Oscarine Robinson, Mary Johnson, Shirley Stevenson, Hattie Beard, Cheryl Dixon, Ruby Efferson and Marie Law. Joe and Pat also received nearly 20 years of kindness, friendship and care from Susan Gaspard and Joyce Hall. All of these ladies were true angels sent from God.

Pallbearers are his six grandsons Joe Payne Cunningham III, Scott Cunningham, John Blanchard Cunningham, Christian Cunningham, Ryan Cunningham and Reagan Cunningham. Honorary Pallbearers are Ed Dranguet, Ed Giering, Marian Dietrich, Griffin Taylor and Pat Todd, Jr.