Hubert Tejan Cunningham—beloved to all who knew him—died on March 23, 2022, in Ridgeland, Mississippi. He was born in Paris, Texas on August 14, 1934, the oldest child of Frank and Grace Cunningham. “Tejan” derives from “Tejas,” the Native American word for “friend” or “ally,” where Texas also gets its name.
Tejan started grade school in Dallas and finished high school in the nearby city of Garland. In 1956, he earned a degree in business administration from McMurry University in Abilene, where he also met Ella Hill, the love of his life, as they waited to be photographed as Sophomore Favorites. He often said that within the first moments of their meeting, he knew Ella was the one for the rest of his life.
After college, Tejan spent two years in the U.S. army, stationed in Germany from 1956 to ‘58, while Ella earned her master’s in education and began teaching. They married in 1959, a year after his return.
In 1964 Tejan graduated from Southwestern College of Pharmacy and began his career in Amarillo. His work eventually led to Paris, Texas, where he and Ella lived for fifteen years and raised their children, Dana and Scott. He found his true calling during that time as a consulting pharmacist and built his own practice. Known for his genuine care for his patients and their quality of life, Tejan was revered as one of the best consultants in Texas. In 1991, he and Ella moved to Tyler, Texas, where he continued his consulting work until 2016. Their final move was to Ridgeland, Mississippi, to live near Scott and his family.
Tejan is survived by his two children, Dana Lynn Cunningham of Eaton, New Hampshire, and Edwin Scott Cunningham (Barbara) of Jackson, Mississippi; two grandchildren, Dallas Dane Cunningham and Ava Grace Cunningham; two brothers, Donald Cunningham of Carlsbad, New Mexico, and Walter Cunningham of Tyler, Texas, and a crowd of beloved nieces and nephews, including Leslie Cunningham Bunt, Lance Cunningham, Shane Cunningham, all of Tyler, Texas, and Duane Cunningham of Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Tejan and Ella’s children and grandchildren brought them unspeakable joy. His deep faith shaped and informed his lasting friendships and love of country. He and Ella campaigned vigorously for candidates who shared the high value they placed on freedom, decency, and equality. They stayed involved in service to others, uplifting the lives of the underprivileged.
Tejan was a voracious reader and prized his extensive library of books on politics, history, World War II, and theology; in Dallas he completed two years of seminary study. His love of contemporary art influenced his own painting and led to his taking classes in modern interior design. He loved music–jazz most of all. And he was a gifted writer— especially of loving notes to Ella and his children, revealing his deeply tender and reflective heart. He was known for his attentive presence in conversations and for his abiding generosity.
Among the many gifts of his enduring legacy, Dana and Scott cherish the memory of his laughter—an amazing capacity for laughter that ever graced the family and friends he loved sacrificially. With Ella’s passing in July 2020, he longed to be with her.
A memorial service for both Tejan and Ella Cunningham will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday October 8, at Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas.
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