Obituary of James F. Cunniff

James F. Cunniff, 64, of West Peabody, and Lisbon, NH., a retired Peabody School teacher, died unexpectedly Wednesday at the Lahey Clinic North in Peabody. He was born in Boston on December 9, 1938, the son of the late James F. and Anne (Mc Donnell) Cunniff and resided in Brookline for 10 years before moving to Peabody. He was a graduate of St. Mary’ s High School in Lynn in1956 and Salem State College In 1960 where he also played Soccer. He later received a Masters Degree in Education there. He taught English in the seventh and eight grades in the Peabody School system for 39 years at the South, Kiley, Higgins and J. F .Kennedy Jr. High Schools before Retiring in June of 2000. He was a coach in the Peabody soccer program for many years and later was a certified Track and field official of the Comm. Of Mass in the Greater Boston League events. He was an avid skier and was known as Mr Cannon at the Cannon Mountain Ski Area in NH., He also coached the Bishop Fenwick Ski Team for many years. He loved to Read and cook and he and his wife, a retired Peabody school teacher, enjoyed camping And hiking in the New Hampshire mountains. They also belonged to the Bethlehem Country Club in Bethlehem, NH. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Madeline (Hanlon) Cunniff of Peabody, 2 sons, Matthew Cunniff, a student at U Mass of Lowell and John Cunniff both of Peabody; a brother, Kevin Cunniff, CFX of the Xavarian Brothers of Los Angelos, CA., his twin sisters and their husbands, Sheila and Kevin O’ Keeffe and Ann and Leonard Russell all of Peabody; an aunt, Marguerite Chenery of Peabody and an Uncle, Jack Mc Donnell of Alexandria, Va and many nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Robert Cunniff. His Funeral will be held on Monday at 9:00 a.m. from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 12 Chestnut St., Peabody facility followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Adelaide’ s Church, Lowell St., West Peabody at 10:00 a.m. Visiting hours on Sunday From 2-4 and 7- 9 P.M. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the charity of your choice.