Larry Jacob Cunnington

The final alarm rang for Larry Jacob Cunnington, 80, of College Place, on November 27, 2021.

Larry was born in Walla Walla, to the late Jacob Leslie and Mildred Irene Cunnington.  He grew up and lived most of his life in Walla Walla.  He graduated from Walla Walla High School in 1961 with his brother Leslie; who shared that Larry was good at getting him into trouble.

Larry served in the JR ROTC, Company D at WA-HI as Lieutenant in 1961 and was a reserve in the Navy before reporting for active duty later in the same year.  Larry served on the USS Charles Berry DE-1035 which visited 18 ports in 5 different countries and traveled 25,970 nautical miles. He received an honorable discharge in 1963.

Larry joined the Walla Walla Fire Department in 1966 and served for 20 years; he was an engineer when he retired in May, 1986. He earned his Associate of Applied Sciences in Fire Fighting in 1971 from Walla Walla Community College.

Larry was an active member of The Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks for 50 years and enjoyed spending time at the lodge.  He served as a Board Member and in every officer position, including Exhalated Ruler in Sequim, WA and Walla Walla.  Larry helped with most events and spearheaded the Student School Patrol Picnic. “He was a great mentor to a lot of us.”

He joined AMVETS in 2007 and in addition to his active membership he was elected in the leadership positions of AMVETS Post Quartermaster, AMVETS Post 1111 Commander 2012-2022, State Eastern District Commander 2016-2021 and AMVETS 1st Vice Commander for the State of WA 2017-2018.   He volunteered with Veteran’s Relief Board for 10 years, serving as chair for 3 of those years.  Larry also volunteered with Veterans Stand Down for 3 years.

Larry’s hobbies over the years included: camping, horseback riding, raising animals, farming, floristry, woodworking and other crafts; many of which he shared with his children.

Larry married Tiny Turner in 1995 and would say that he had “saved the best for last.”

Larry is survived by his wife, Tiny of Walla Walla; his daughters, Teri Kramer (Mark) of Harrington, WA, (her mother Carol Robertson), Lori Cunnington Elam (Jeffrey) of Veneta, OR and Marci Lux (Jim) of Walla Walla, (their mother Sharon Foster); five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; sister, Debbie Townsend (Randy) of Hermiston, OR; three nieces, two nephews; Tiny’s daughters, Terri Harding of SeaTac, WA and Connie Fellows (Tom) of Athena, OR; Tiny’s six grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; all of whom he counted as his own.  He is also survived by Joe Shelby, “the son he never had” (and his mother Amy Uribe.) Larry is preceded in death by his parents, Mildred (6-5-1994) and William Wolin (5-9-2007), and Jacob Cunnington (1-15-1958); his brother, Leslie (9-1-2017); an infant twin (stillbirth); and Tiny’s son, James Turner (2019).