Obituary: Timothy Scott Cunningham

Timothy Scott Cunningham died peacefully from congestive heart failure at Bartlett Regional Hospital on June 10, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska with his son and mother by his side.

Tim was born in Portland, Oregon June 24, 1964 to Susan (Sioux) Hammond and Gerard Cunningham, Jr.   After living in Long Beach, California, from age 3 months to 5 years, Tim moved with his family back to Oregon.

Timothy Scott Cunningham

At age 12 they moved from Silverton, Oregon, to Juneau, Alaska, where Tim attended Floyd Dryden Junior High and one year at Juneau-Douglas High School. He then attended and graduated from The Delphian School in Sheridan, Oregon, where he was a gifted, natural athlete and excelled at basketball and baseball, earning him the nickname Timmy Toes. But his true love, from the time he was four years old in his backyard on Silver Creek, was fishing.  

As a young man he worked in Alaska’s Capitol building, followed by commercial fishing, which started his many adventures throughout the state. Tim then became a journeyman roofer and for 25-plus years traveled all over Alaska, helping build many structures, including several schools in remote Alaskan villages. He took great pride in that work and greatly enjoyed living in rural, and often challenging, parts of our vast state (and fishing wherever and whenever he could.)

Tim married Kelly Sterling in Skagway, Alaska, in 1996 and their son Matthew was born in 1997. Living in various places in Alaska he was very adventurous, took risks some of us wouldn’t, and was curious about the world—often viewing it through rose-colored glasses. Whatever his circumstances, he could be fun, positive, and upbeat.  He was very personable and charismatic and loved telling stories about his experiences. 

Tim loved his family deeply and never hesitated to tell them that. He was especially proud of, and is survived by, his son Matthew Sterling Cunningham of Juneau; his mother Sioux Douglas, sister Carrie Pusich (Mark), niece Hailey Pusich (Katelyn), nephew Jeffrey Pusich, cousins Josie Beck and Taylor Hammond, and former wife Kelly Cunningham. He was predeceased by his fathers Gerard Cunningham, Jr., Donald Plummer, and Paul Douglas, as well as stepbrothers James Plummer and Jeffrey Douglas. Throughout most of Tim’s adult life he struggled with the disease of alcoholism which ultimately exacerbated his heart disease. For those wishing to honor his memory he would be pleased with your support of those who also suffer from the disease through your donations to the Tim Cunningham Memorial Fund at the Juneau Community Foundation (juneaucf.org).  

An open house to celebrate Tim will be held Aug. 3, 2025, from 2-4 p.m., at 3014 Foster Ave., Juneau.