Gerald “Jerry” Richard Cunningham, devoted spouse, caring parent, and cherished grandfather passed away peacefully on January 31st, 2026, at the age of 75. Born on July 20, 1950 in Spokane, Washington, Jerry was the son of Mildred and Joseph Cunningham.
He grew up in Columbia, TN, and went on to study at Middle Tennessee State University.
Jerry had a strong work ethic since he was a young teenager. He decided to start his own business first with Brentwood Tire center and later was successful in the restaurant industry for over 30 years under the mentorship of James Beverly “Hap” Townes. City Cafe also known as “Jerry’s Place” was a welcome spot where customers came for good food and good service. Jerry’s favorite part of owning and running the restaurant was forming relationships with the customers. Customers became family and long-term friendships were developed over the community table.
Jerry will be most remembered as a loving husband, father and “Pop”. He was a proud SAE member and enjoyed connecting with his brothers over the years. Jerry was an active member of Brentwood United Methodist Church and Passages Sunday School class. He saw the potential in everything and he never met a stranger. He was well known for his gift of praying and was frequently asked to give the invocation at special events.
Jerry was preceded in death by his two brothers, Jack and John Cunnigham.
Jerry is survived by his wife of 50 years, Beata; daughters, Courtney and Brittany Cunnigham; grandsons, Reece and Clayton Cunningham; and sister Carol Strawinski.
To celebrate his life, a visitation will be held at 11am on Wednesday, February 11th, 2026, in the Narthex at Brentwood United Methodist Church, 309 Franklin Road, Brentwood TN, followed by a service from 12pm-1pm. Honorary pallbearers will be Passages Sunday School class.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Brentwood United Methodist Church.
To leave a condolence or share a fond memory of Jerry, please visit the Tribute Wall. https://www.austinfuneralservice.com
For more obituaries visit https://davidsoncountysource.com/obituaries/
Subscribe to our Newsletter!
