Juanita Cunningham

Juanita Cunningham of Springfield, MA was called Home to the Lord at Baystate Medical Center on Monday, June 6, 2022 after a long battle with cancer, surrounded by the comfort and care of her loving family and close friends. She was born on February 23, 1945, to the late Reverend Steven Beckett and Annie (Small) Beckett in Estill, SC. She was raised in Garnett, SC where she graduated from Estill High School in 1963. After graduation, she relocated to Springfield, MA. She retired from Westvaco Envelope Division after 33 years. Juanita accepted Christ at an early age at Sand Hill Baptist Church and she later joined Bethel AME Church in Springfield, MA where she served as a stewardess and worked on the kitchen committee serving the homeless and church events. Juanita loved to get together for family events. Her favorite holidays were Thanksgiving dinner, Memorial Day and Christmas. She enjoyed traveling and cooking with her husband, daughter and grandchildren. She shared so many recipes with her daughter to carry on the legacy. She was an avid basketball fan. She enjoyed watching any basketball game rather it was the NBA, Collegiate, or WNBA. Most of all, she enjoyed watching her grandchildren playing sports. Juanita was a dedicated wife, mother, sister, grandmother and aunt. She leaves to cherish her memories and legacy a daughter, Antoinette Beckett (Thomas Johnson) of Springfield, MA, two special and beautiful granddaughters, Seraya Johnson and Shamiah Bennett-Johnson, a sister Thelma Mitchell and a brother Jesse Beckett all of Springfield, sister in laws Patricia (Curtis) Colwell of Reidsville, GA and Finis (Corbin) Cuyler of Spencerport, NY and brother in law (Richard) Joyce Cunningham, stepchildren Michael(Monica) Anthony Cunningham, Jr and Kimberly Johnson. She was predeceased by two sisters Ethel Mae Brantley and Eula Bennett and three brothers Herbert, Eugene, and Stephen R. Beckett and four brothers-in-law Samuel Goodman, Sheldon Mitchell, Murray Brantley and Oregon Bennett, Sr. and two sisters-in-law Carolyn Snead and Ada Beckett. She leaves behind two special nieces Pamela and Cynthia Brantley and a special friend, Mary Goodman. The family would like to acknowledge the doctors and nurses at D’Amour Cancer Center especially Dr. Mertens who was with her since the initial diagnosis. In addition, Juanita leaves behind many nieces, nephews, and cousins and a host of friends and a church family that loved her dearly. Services are on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at St. John’s Congregational Church, with a wake from 10AM – 11AM and the funeral service at 11AM. Masks are required. Burial will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery. New England Funeral & Cremation Center, 25 Mill Street, Springfield, MA has been entrusted with the arrangements. Please visit Juanita’s memorial page at www.nefcc.net to extend condolences. To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Juanita Cunningham.

Juanita Cunningham

February 23, 1945 - June 6, 2022