1 State of Arkansas
2 94th General Assembly
3 Second Extraordinary Session, 2024 HMR 1002
4
5 By: Representative M. McElroy
6
7 HOUSE MEMORIAL RESOLUTION
8 TO HONOR THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF G. ERNEST
9 CUNNINGHAM.
10
11
12 Subtitle
13 TO HONOR THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF G.
14 ERNEST CUNNINGHAM.
15
16
17 WHEREAS, G. Ernest Cunningham, former Speaker of the Arkansas House of
18 Representatives and long-serving member of the General Assembly, died on June
19 11, 2024, in Little Rock, Arkansas, at eighty-seven (87) years of age; and
20
21 WHEREAS, G. Ernest Cunningham grew up in Barton, Arkansas; and
22
23 WHEREAS, G. Ernest Cunningham attended the University of Arkansas
24 where he:
25 (1) Was a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, serving a term as
26 president; and
27 (2) Graduated with a degree in accounting in 1960; and
28
29 WHEREAS, after graduating from the University of Arkansas, G. Ernest
30 Cunningham returned to Helena, where he worked for Cunningham, Inc. for many
31 years, first with his father, Gordon, and later with his brother, Joe Tom;
32 and
33
34 WHEREAS, G. Ernest Cunningham represented Helena-West Helena and part
35 of eastern Arkansas in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1969 to
36 1999; and
*DTP336* 6/18/2024 10:27:01 AM DTP336
 HMR1002
1
2 WHEREAS, after he left the Arkansas House of Representatives, G. Ernest
3 Cunningham was a lobbyist for clients that included Arkansas Health Care
4 Association, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and Arkansans for Better Schools; and
5
6 WHEREAS, G. Ernest Cunningham spent many hours working to improve the
7 quality of life for everyone in Helena, Phillips County, and the Delta; and
8
9 WHEREAS, G. Ernest Cunningham was instrumental in the development of
10 the:
11 (1) Helena-West Helena-Phillips County Port Authority;
12 (2) Helena River Park;
13 (3) Delta Cultural Center;
14 (3) Civil War Trail, as a member of the Arkansas Civil War
15 Sesquicentennial Commission;
16 (4) KIPP Delta Public Schools; and
17 (5) Restoration of several historic sites in Helena; and
18
19 WHEREAS, G. Ernest Cunningham received many honors, including induction
20 into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame, the Phillips County Chamber of
21 Commerce Citizen of the Year, and the Rotary Paul Harris Fellow; and
22
23 WHEREAS, G. Ernest Cunningham is survived by his wife Cathy
24 Cunningham, his two (2) sons Cotter Cunningham (Edie Rogat) and Baker
25 Cunningham (Ashley Cunningham), and five (5) grandchildren,
26
27 NOW THEREFORE,
28 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
29 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
30
31 THAT the House of Representatives express sincere condolences to the
32 family of G. Ernest Cunningham and commend his contributions to Arkansas.
33
34 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution shall be
35 provided to the family of G. Ernest Cunningham by the Chief Clerk of the
36 House of Representatives.
2 6/18/2024 10:27:01 AM DTP336