Troy David Cunningham

On May 14th, 2025, Troy David Cunningham (age 59) slipped courageously from this world, carried  by the same currents he loved—those of water, wind, and wonder. After a battle with cancer, he passed with grace, in the presence of love, leaving behind not only cherished family and friends, but a world he helped make better with kindness.
Troy was a man who walked through life with seeking eyes—attuned to the delicate dance of light across leaves, the hush of mist rising from a river, and the subtle language of people’s hearts. He was an artist in the truest sense, capturing with his camera what many of us would have missed: a glint of dawning sun on lupine, his niece's fleeting expression, the tangled poetry of nature's design. His photographs did not simply show beauty—they revealed dreams.

Born with the spirit of a hawk, Troy found his sanctuary in the wild places of Maine and Florida. St. Froid Lake, the Aroostook River, the winding Allagash—they were more than destinations; they were companions, sacred paths he paddled with reverence and  often shared with those he loved and taught. The rhythm of the paddle, the call of a loon, the slow burn of sunset over still water—these were the hymns of his life.

But what truly set Troy apart was his gift for connection. He met others with a listening heart and an open soul. Whether in quiet conversation or shared laughter, he made you feel seen. Known. Understood.

Troy's absence is a silence we will carry. Yet in every apple tree’s silhouette, every ripple in a river, every face lit by joy or grief—we will find him. He taught us to look closer, to feel deeper, to live more fully.

He was born on October 20th,1965, in Presque Isle, Maine.  He is the son of Ronald Cunningham and the late Arlene Elliott (Guerrette).  

He is survived by his father Ronald Cunningham of Goldsboro, North Carolina, his sister Lynnette Elliott and his niece Josslyn Elliott of Decatur, Georgia, his stepbrother Joe Salazar and his wife Tammy of Weaverville, North Carolina, his step sister Sandra (Bob) Chiavetta of Greenville, Texas and his niece Kristin LaTona of Pueblo, Colorado, his step sister Shanna Denton and his nieces Chezney Peterson and Cheyenne Denton all of Dunn, North Carolina, his aunt Edna Albert of Sebago, Maine, his aunt Terri Donovan of Laconia, New Hampshire, his aunt Kay Guerrette of Presque Isle, Maine, his aunt Camilla Guerrette of Presque Isle, Maine, as well four great nieces,two great nephews and many special cousins that he loved greatly.  

Troy was preceded in death by his mother Arlene (Guerrette) Elliott, his step father (Dad) Linwood (Duke) Elliott, his step mother Patricia (Breeden) Cunningham, his paternal grandparents Ernest and Hope Cunningham and Ralph and Phillis DeNafio, his maternal grandparents Alexander Peter Guerrette and Carina Guerrette,  and many cherished aunts and uncles.

He was honored to have had deep and lasting bonds with his closest friends:Sue Stowers, Kate Stewart, Daniela Dana, Angie Reed, Paul Carlson, Jill Jordan, Peter Clark and the late Janet Allen.

Troy David Cunningham, may your next journey be peaceful, your waters calm, your sky wide and endless.

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