Robert P. "Bob" "Casper" Cunningham, age 89, retired Teacher and Pharmacist, passed away on Tuesday, October 10. Beloved son of the late Gerard and Mary Cunningham, Bob grew up in Medford and kept his main residence there for 80-plus years. For more than 50 years he also maintained a second home, originally in North Andover, followed by a home in Freedom, NH, Bradford, MA and recently back to North Andover.
Bob graduated from Medford High School (class of 1951) and later graduated from Mass. College of Pharmacy (1955) and earned a Master's degree from Tufts U. (1956), WPI (1962), and U. of Notre Dame (1973). He never really stopped learning over the years by consistently attending seminars and taking courses at Bowdoin, U. of Chicago, B.U. and U. of Mass., among others. Over many years he was awarded 12 education grants from the National Science Foundation.
For eight years Bob served in the US Navy and Reserves. Most of his active duty time was as a Pharmacy Instructor at the San Diego Naval Hospital School of Pharmacy. Before the advent of the big chain drug stores, Bob practiced pharmacy with great enthusiasm at Central Pharmacy and Kay Pharmacy in Medford. His major work over his long and loved teaching career was at Malden High School (10 years) and Brookline High School (41 years). He also spent many years at Maimonides High School teaching late day chemistry classes. His courses stressed that students should accept full responsibility for their own education along with their learning the subject material.
Although no athlete himself, Bob enjoyed attending high school, college and professional sporting events. He was a season ticket holder for the Boston Bruins and the NE Patriots for many years. He took many trips to their away games as well as to South Bend for Notre Dame football games.
Aside from sports, Bob took great interest in financial investments in the stock and bond fields. He also enjoyed traveling to Foxwoods, Atlantic City and Las Vegas but with much less success than in his stocks and bonds investments. He enjoyed the hours spent relaxing at the old Highland in Malden and the VFW in North Andover with cherished friends. Bob was a life member of the Irish American Association in Malden and a 50-plus year member of the American Federation of Teachers.
Besides his beloved parents, Bob was preceded in death by his cherished brothers Gerry and Phil Cunningham, nephew Gerard Cunningham Ill and many cousins, aunts, uncles and great friends. He is survived by his much appreciated extended family members and longtime friends.
At Bob's request, all services will be private. Bob would appreciate any donations in his memory be made to Brookline Education Foundation; PO Box 470652 Brookline, MA 02447, or to North Andover High School Scholarship Foundation; PO Box 524, North Andover, MA 01845.