William (Bill) Cunnea passed at home on Saturday, January 20, 2024, after a battle with bone cancer. In true fashion he hid how bad his health was until the very end. He wanted his family and friends to live their lives and not chase after his.
Born and raised in Chicago, Bill attended Loyola University - Chicago, where he would later return to teach photography, one of his passions. He had a lengthy career in business communications and was instrumental in establishing the Chicago chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). In establishing Spontaneous Combustion and Urban Folk Art Business Theater, he piloted the idea of role-playing learning within a corporate training structure. This allowed participants to walk through scenarios they would encounter in the business world.
When he relocated to Green County he continued traveling for work with a successful consulting business under the banner of Cunnea Strategic Communications and expanded his programming with Kinderthinken! a program that introduced middle and high school students to improvisational theater.
He enjoyed the open road and achieved his 100,000 mile milestone award as part of the Madison BMW club. An enthusiastic outdoorsmen, Bill loved hunting and boating as well training his dogs for pheasant hunting. Over the years, Bill wrote many articles for Outdoor Wisconsin detailing his adventures with the dogs. Bill also partnered with friends to create a series of hunting knives, the production of which benefited the local community in Nepal.
Bill had an easy manner and loved people. He would engage in conversation with everyone and took an interest in their lives. And he loved to tease! Long time friends and neighbors recall many a time that he pulled their leg.
Bill was proceeded in death by his parents, William and Vivian (nee Greensley), beloved sister Judith Small, brother-in-law John and niece Lisa. He is survived by his elder sister Mary-Vivian, daughters, Leslie (Steev) Cunnea, Nicole Cunnea; grandsons Justin (Channell),Travis and Ryan; great granddaughters Aubrey and London and puppies Maggie and Tinker.
A celebration of life ceremony will be held on April 27, 2024 from 1:30-3:00 at the Blanchardville Community Center in Blanchardville, WI. In lieu of flowers donations in his name can be made to the American Cancer Society.
