of West Helena, AR

January 1, 1939 - February 4, 2023

Joseph Thomas Cunningham (better known as Joe Tom) passed away at his home on February 3, 2023. He was born January 1, 1939, to Thomas Gordon Cunningham and Ida Blaine Cunningham in Helena, Arkansas.

Joe Tom deeply loved his family, his friends, his church, and his community.
He served in the Arkansas Air National Guard where he made many lifelong friends as a young man. Prior to that, he attended the University of Arkansas where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

Joe Tom loved the Lord and was a Charter Member and Elder of the Cleburne Avenue Presbyterian Church until its closure in 2018. At that time, he believed it was important to be a part of a Christian community and joined the Helena First United Methodist Church. He was nicknamed ''the praying man'' by the children of his family because he believed that you needed to acknowledge and invite the Lord into all your situations. He lived by that principle of prayer until the last days of his life.

Joe Tom was a devoted hardworking businessman. He ran Cunningham, Inc., a propane, gasoline, diesel, and bulk oil business that serviced agricultural, industrial, and residential customers and owned and operated several Kwik Stop convenience stores in East Arkansas, with his father, T. Gordon Cunningham, brother, G. Ernest Cunningham, and son, Gordon A. Cunningham, for close to 60 years. He believed in good service and his motto was, ''We are faster, friendlier, nicer and easier.'' He enjoyed his business because he really cared about his customers and greeted them all with a smile, a handshake, and a coke or bottled water. Joe Tom was appointed to the Arkansas Liquified Petroleum Gas Board by Governor David Pryor in 1977 and served on that Board for 42 years under seven different Governors, Democrat and Republican, until his retirement in 2019.

A graduate and former quarterback of Barton High School, Joe Tom was the Voice of the Barton Bears on KFFA radio station for almost 40 years giving tirelessly and enthusiastically of his time to bring the Barton Bears football games to Phillips County listeners. He was honored this fall at the halftime of a ballgame as the first recipient of the school's Distinguished Alumni Award.

Joe Tom served on the Board of Directors of Partners Bank (formerly known as Helena National Bank) for 39 years and was Chairman of the Board when he retired from the bank in 2021. He was a long-serving member of the Helena Harbor & Phillips County Economic Development Board. He also served on the DeSoto School Board and was President of that Board for two terms.

Joe Tom enjoyed running, exercising, and playing tennis and snow skiing with his many tennis and ski buddies throughout most of his life. He loved people, had a great sense of humor, and a servant's heart. His life was a life well lived.

Joe Tom was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Lena Cotten Cunningham.
Those who are left to cherish his memory are his wife of 56 years, Marcia Johnson Cunningham; his two sons, Cotten (Gwin) and Gordon Cunningham; his precious granddaughters, Kendall, Blaine, and Liz Cunningham; his brother and wife, Ernest and Cathy Cunningham; sister-in-law, Karen Johnson Barrow (John); nephews, Cotter (Edie) and Baker (Ashley) Cunningham and Harley (June) and Russ (Darnella) Barrow; and great nieces and nephews: Hailey, Peyton, Truman, Will and Walker Cunningham and Cole, Reid (Vinessa), Peyton and Gage Barrow.

A Celebration of Life is planned for Monday, February 20, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 502 Porter Street, Helena, Arkansas, with a reception to follow the worship service in Hendrix Hall of the church.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be sent to the Barton Athletic Department, 5995 Highway 49, Lexa, Arkansas, 72355, for the refurbishing of the Press Box at Frank McClellan Field where Joe Tom called many a game on the radio or the First United Methodist Church, 502 Porter Street, Helena, Arkansas, 72342.

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-Citizens Funeral Home
508 East Plaza Street
West Helena, AR  72390
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com