Sr. Ellen Mary Cunningham, OP

Funeral Mass was held Jan. 18 at the Dominican Sisters Motherhouse in Fremont for Dominican Sister Ellen Mary (Amabilis) Cunningham, 96, who died Jan. 8. She had been a member of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose for 78 years.

She entered the Congregation from her home parish of St. Elizabeth in Oakland. A teacher for many years, Sister Cunningham served locally at Sacred Heart Elementary in Lincoln Heights and St. Ignatius in Highland Park for three years each, as well as St. Catherine’s in Anaheim for six years.

Sister Cunningham spent 40 years at the Mission San Jose motherhouse. Elected treasurer general in 1967-1986, she enrolled the congregation in Social Security in the early ’70s and bought health insurance, setting the order on sound financial footing. She went every summer to help the Sisters at their province in Mexico with their finances. Memorial donations may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund and/or the New Building Project.