John Richard Cunningham, Jr.

John Richard Cunningham Jr. was born on October 22, 1985, in Clarksville, Tennessee, to John Richard Cunningham Sr. and Janie Cunningham. John departed this life on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the age of 40.

John was a man with a heart of gold, a love for his family, and a personality that could fill a room. Those who knew him knew that laughter was never too far behind. He was a natural jokester who loved making the people around him laugh, and throughout his life, he formed countless friendships and meaningful connections with people throughout Clarksville and beyond.

John was educated in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. He loved God and spent many years attending church with his beloved Aunt Flora “Flo” Pardue and Uncle Richard Pardue. Aunt Flora held an especially important place in John’s life. She loved, cared for, and helped raise John as one of her own children, creating a bond between them that remained special throughout his life.

John understood the importance of working and providing for his family. Over the years, he worked in various capacities, including employment with Akebono in Clarksville, Tennessee, along with other positions throughout his life. No matter where he worked, providing for those he loved was important to him.

Family meant everything to John.

He shared an especially close relationship with his brother, Jonathan Cunningham. Their bond was filled with love, laughter, teasing, and the kind of memories that can only exist between brothers. Jonathan affectionately referred to his big brother as “Peipie” and would jokingly call him a “punk” as a term of endearment, often while pretending that he was ready to fight his big brother. Their playful relationship was simply part of the love they shared.

John also shared a very special bond with two of his nephews, Akeem Fletcher and Kyree Johnson, as well as a niece, Khylin Johnson, whom he loved dearly.

One of the greatest loves of John’s life was his wife and very best friend, Erika Cunningham. John and Erika shared more than 15 years together and officially married on November 18, 2021. Their relationship was filled with friendship, love, partnership, and genuine admiration for one another. Those who knew them could see the special connection they shared. Erika was not simply John’s wife; she was his person, his partner, and his best friend.

John was the proud father of Jamarria Whitfield and lovingly embraced his stepchildren, Alexia Little ,Samuel Little, Da’Von Little. His family was an important part of his life, and he loved them deeply.

John was well known throughout the Clarksville community and had a way of connecting with people wherever he went. He had many friends, acquaintances, and people who simply knew him from around town. Whether someone had known John for decades or crossed paths with him along the way, chances are they had a story about him.

Anyone who knew John also knew that he loved to eat. That love eventually earned him the nickname “Cheeseburger Johnny,” a name he embraced with the same humor and good nature that characterized so much of his life. It became one of the many affectionate ways people referred to a man who was loved by so many.

John was preceded in death by his father, John Richard Cunningham Sr.; his baby sister, Christina Cunningham; his grandparents, Lawrence Moss and Beatrice Cunningham Moss; and his beloved uncle, Frederick Moss; his mother-in law, Vickie Hunt, and father-in-law, Kevin Little.

John leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife and best friend, Erika Cunningham; his mother, Janie Cunningham; his child, Jamarria Whitfield; his stepchildren, Alexia Little, Samuel Little, Da’Von Little; his brother, Jonathan Cunningham; his beloved Aunt Flora Pardue and Uncle Richard Pardue, who lovingly helped raise and care for him as their own; his nephews & nieces, many cousins, and a tremendous circle of extended family members, lifelong friends, coworkers, and loved ones.

John’s life cannot be summed up simply by the dates of his birth and passing. His life is found in the people he loved, the laughter he created, the friendships he built, the family he provided for, the jokes he told, the meals he enjoyed, and the countless memories that will continue to be shared whenever someone says his name.

To know John was to know his humor, his heart, and his love for the people who mattered to him.