Obituary of Heather Joan Cunningham

CUNNINGHAM: Heather Joan (née Wilkins)

Died unexpectedly and suddenly at her home in Port Hope on Wednesday May 10, 2023 at the age of 61. 

Heather leaves behind her beloved partner Howard Charlton, cherished children Erica Hendry (Bahman Fadaie-Nia), Dani Hendry, and Myles Cunningham, sister Carolyn Wilkins (Victor Rios Rull), nephew Samuel Wilkins Delorme and many other family members and friends. Heather was a kind, adventurous, and loving soul who will be sadly missed by many friends and relatives. She was devoted to her family, always putting her much-loved children first. Heather was dedicated to her work, as a teacher for many years, and later as a special education consultant with the Kawartha Pine Ridge Board of Education. Heather spent many a late evening after putting her children to bed making sure her plans for her students were perfect, and she was a fierce advocate for comprehensive education programming for children with different learning needs. After she retired, she became a yoga instructor and worked with children with literacy challenges. She had caught the travel bug later in life, exploring countries as diverse as Belize and France. She will be remembered most as a loving soul, smart, funny, sometimes charmingly crazy woman, taken from us far too soon.

A Celebration of Heather's Life will be held at THE HENDREN FUNERAL HOMES, LAKEFIELD CHAPEL, 66 Queen Street, Lakefield, on Sunday, May 21, 2023 from 11:00 – 3:00pm. Memories of Heather will be shared at 1:00 PM. If desired, and in lieu of flowers, memorial donations to Hospice Peterborough or Literacy Ontario Central South would be appreciated. Friends may find directions, send condolences or make donations by visiting www.hendrenfuneralhome.com or by calling 705-652-3355.  In Heather’s memory, please consider wearing happy and bright colours if attending and in keeping with Heather’s ideals, consider planting a tree somewhere special to you.