The original email from Dana to all of us about the loss of Bobby.

Other Emails from Friends and Classmates in No Particular Order.

My heart was shaken and my body chilled when I read this. Bobby was always smiling and so easy going.  I can remember is big smile like it was yesterday.

Mike Van Sickle

I moved to Junction in 76 so I did not hang with Bobby like many of you did, I shared Mr. Becks class with him just before lunch but he is one of those people you just never seem to forget. If you ever saw him, you saw that smile, and you never forgot his spirit. And yes, at the reunion there he was, looking like nothing had changed in 25 years. And yes, he did not look like he gained an ounce since school, still taking care of himself and making me now realize his outer shell of flesh was as much unchanged as his inner person. You could never read past that smile to see anything but happiness in him no matter what life was dealing at the time. He stood above helping others to lift their spirits in times of despair or struggles, and never seemed to allow life to overwhelm him or those around him.

Like many, I struggled briefly with trying to understand “WHY BOBBY” ? I guess in my mind the best answer comes from the words of the pastor at my 16 year old nephews funeral several years ago as all his classmates and friends asked the same question. Like Bobby, Brian was murdered which is even tougher to accept than death itself. Many of his friends also asked the spiritual query, “Lord, why did you let this happen” ? The pastors response was that God does not make things happen, but uses all things that happen. Perhaps Bobby’s passing reminds us that life is precious and short. That there are no guarantees of tomorrow, and that we should not put off things waiting for a more convenient time. I have thought a great deal about my life since the first word of Bobby’s death, and following are some of my thoughts.

Like many of you, I had moved around and lost contact with many of my friends over the years. Then 5 years ago, one of my friends wives tracked me down to attend a surprise 40th b-day party for him in Oklahoma. This woman found all of us, tough as it was, and we were all there traveling from near and far. Many I had not seen in 10 plus years. I was glad we did.

The same comments were heard then, “maybe we should get together more often” so we set a goal to do so one weekend a year. We now get together once a year in October for a family and friends weekend, and go to Worlds of Fun one of those days as a common point. Everyone brings the significant others, the kids and any friends they may want to join us. And this has spawned into other weekends, ski trips, family outings and more. We find ourselves finding and making the time, as we realize the importance of friends. On a scuba trip a few years back my friends wife said it best, “friends become our adopted families”.

When one divorced friend was deployed to Iraq a couple years ago, we stepped up and “adopted” his kids for the weekend to insure they continued to be a part of this event everyone has grown to look forward to. In his absence this second year we made a banner and had everyone from the youngest to the oldest sign it and we all made one more trip to Manhattan the weekend he returned from Iraq to surprise him. It was well worth the drive for the out of staters. And even the all day rain could not kill the spirit of seeing friends and families smiling at Worlds of Fun, we simply made the best of the time we had together.

You do not have to have a class reunion every year, but I encourage everyone to stay close and in contact as much as possible. TAKE the time, MAKE the time. There are many circles of friends (we called them clicks in high school), many that overlap, some that stand alone but we are all made up of flesh and blood and no one is immortal. Think this week long and hard about how you will be remembered and if the path you follow today is the one that is right. It is never too late to try to change things, and life is filled with decisions and choices we all must make.

I chose about a year ago to move back closer to the area to be closer to family and many of my friends. Happiness for me was not found in the big buck corporate world, so I took a chance on myself and followed my heart.

As you try to decide “IF” you can make it, ask yourself the tough question….”What would Bobby have done if the roles were reversed ?”. I realize it is not practical for many, but IF you can I encourage everyone to show their support in some way. I juggled my schedule and I plan to be there Friday to offer support to the family I never really knew, and to my fellow classmates that are able to attend to honor the Bobby Cunningham we all knew.

Remember Bobby in your own way. He touched so many, if even for the shortest of times, and sadly his passing has once again reminded me of the realities of life and how we should live by his example and make the best of every moment.

Mike Van Sickle

~Andrea James

Hello my DEAR FRIENDS,  

Yes,  Bobby will be greatly missed. But I can see and feel him through all of this as he is AGAIN bring happiness to all of us even if it through the sadness of his passing so see, not all is lost!   He was one of the kinder spirits I ever met! And WE ALL KNEW ABOUT THAT SMILE!!   Bobby is at peace and we are here feeling the pain.

But if you knew Bobby at all he would tell us.... No! He would look at us and SMILE!   Because he knew that when he did that he did lift us up and then he would say. Hey man it's nothing but a thing!  This too we will get by from.  Because he have each other or had each other.   EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Let it be good or bad. And Bobby is bring us ALL together AGAIN!   

The Devil loves for us to stay mad or sad and even keep asking WHY?  To Feel the hate and anger not the LOVE!   BUT if you knew Bobby or even met him, you know he wouldn't want us to be this way.  So when we do come together I won't let the Devil WIN!   Yes,  I too will shed tears I know but as I do I will remember the Good Man behind the name that I grew to known.  

Bobby Cunningham: With the smile of a great spirit, the heart of a good being, the voice of caring with eye's that just beamed.  Bobby I came to celebrate your life and love. It's not good-bye. But so long for now until we met again my friend.    And to the rest of my Classmate's and friend's:   ADIOS, In which most of you know I always say at the end of my talks or letter's and email's.

And I know you are thinking I am saying GOOD-BYE!  BUT I'M not.   ADIOS really means: GO WITH GOD!   And as you do I am praying for you & your Families and friend's. SO it's not Good- bye it's  ADIOS till we met again, I know we will either  here or there!  

LOVE & PEACE ALWAYS & FOREVER FRIENDS
ADIOS
MARIA RIVERA-RODNEY

Margie Johnson

I think it's a really good idea to write something about Bobby. I've been so sad about this, sad for Bobby and sad for his family. Maybe collectively we can let them know just how special he was to all of us.

Bobby made a real impression on my youngest son at the reunion last year as "the man with the muscles". When I put the boys to bed at night they always want a story and here's a shortened version of one I've told more than once:

It was a warm spring day in 1979 at the State Track meet and Bobby as getting ready to run the last race of his high school career. Our chances at a championship had come down to this one race. While he may have been nervous Bobby's smile was ear to ear, just like always.

Then, with a loud bang of the starters gun Bobby started running using every single muscle in his body. He ran so fast in that race that we were scared he may not be able to finish. The other team's coaches said for sure he was running too fast and that he might collapse and even the people in the stands were scared that he was running too fast to finish. But not Bobby, he wasn't scared.

He crossed the finish line with the same smile that he started with. Besides being the fastest man in the state, the man with the muscles had come through for all of us, just like he always did.

I'll will never tell that story again without tearing up.

Bobby we miss you.

Warren Schlicting

That was beautiful! Bobby was a special person and the world is a  little more empty with his passing. It was great to hear from you, but  a tragedy it is under these circumstances, and that it's been so long.

 I have corresponded with more people since this news broke, than I  have since high school, which is a blessing, and a shame at the same  time. We are all busy, and I guess distance sometimes is easy to use as an excuse, but those are just that, excuses!

We were all pretty  close back then, and we shouldn't throw that away. I hope that if any  good can come out of Bobby's death, it will be that we all realize how short life can be, and how much family and friends mean. That is the  least we can do to pay tribute to a special man, that should never have met this fate!!

 I miss you, and take care of yourself,

Mark Gauntt