Scarsdale, N.Y., and Trenton
Beverly Brown Cunningham, of Scarsdale, N.Y., and Trenton, died at the home of her son, Warren, and his wife, Marie, in Bethel, N.Y. on December 5, 2020 at the age of 92.
Beverly grew up in Scarsdale and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. She married her husband of 62 years, Charles Cunningham, in 1949 and they made Scarsdale their home for 50 years.
Beverly was a committed and enthusiastic participant in many town activities where her generosity, compassion and problem-solving abilities benefited a host of community organizations. Her contributions included service on the Scarsdale Board of Education, including two years as board president (following the example of her mother, Gertrude Brown, who served on the board 40 years earlier), and leadership roles in many other community functions. She also helped found the Village Voices, a singing group that frequently performed at town functions for many years. Beverly was awarded the Scarsdale Bowl in 1990 for her service to the community.
In 1971, Beverly and Charles built a home in Trenton, where they spent 45 idyllic summers on the shores of Union River Bay. In 1999, they retired full time to Maine, first to Blue Hill and, later, to Augusta to be closer to family and their Trenton residence. As in New York, Beverly joined in local activities, with her typical level of commitment, cooperation and good humor.
Beverly was the consummate hostess, loving nothing more than getting together with friends and family to share a terrific meal and enjoy the festivities. Her summer dinners in Trenton and New Year’s and Christmas Eve parties in Scarsdale were legendary. She was a fair, loving and engaged mother to her four boys, acting on their needs and many requests (usually) without complaint, including driving her 17-year-old son to Woodstock in 1969 after the governor had declared it a disaster area.
Aside from her son Warren Cunningham and his wife, Marie Sitchenko, Beverly is survived by three other sons and their spouses, Charles D. Cunningham and Yuko Usami of New York City, N.Y., Wilfred B. and Kathleen Cunningham of Vero Beach, Fla., and John B.E. and Lynn H. Cunningham of Goose Creek, S.C.; four grandchildren, Eugene, Rachel, Charlotte and Gayle Cunningham; and great-grandson, Elliott. Her husband, Charles, and best friend and sister-in, Esther Shay, predeceased her. Beverly will also be deeply missed by STEP students Charles Long of Clarksdale, Miss., Geraldine Williams Moore of Yazoo, Miss., who became family members while attending Scarsdale High School, and by Geraldine’s daughter, Dominique, and her son Grayson of Washington, D.C.
A family celebration of Beverly’s life will be held in Trenton at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Beverly’s memory be made to Planned Parenthood and the ASPCA