Sheila Patricia Cunningham

Sheila Patricia Cunningham died on May 15, 2025, at the age of 89.

She was born on March 10, 1936, in Mankato, Minnesota, to James and Julia (Murphy) Cunningham. Sheila spent her early years on the family farm near Albert Lea before moving with her family to Conger, then Mapleton, and eventually Mankato in 1949. She graduated from Loyola High School in 1954 and earned a B.A. in English and Sociology, with honors, from Mankato State University in 1957. She was active in journalism throughout her studies, bringing those talents into her career and personal life.

She married William (Bill) Buethe on June 3, 1957, at SS. Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church in Mankato. That same year, she joined the Mankato Free Press in advertising. She later earned a B.S. in Secondary Education and a post-graduate certificate in Library Science from the University of Minnesota. Sheila taught in several Minnesota schools throughout her career, continuing a long family tradition of educators.

She was a disciplined and curious thinker who valued research, detail, and the written word. She was an incredible storyteller. 

Her volunteer work included contributions to Catholic Charities, the Catholic Bulletin, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the Irish Genealogical Society, International. She was deeply committed to documenting and preserving family history. Her genealogy work included publishing family journals and tracing ancestral lines across countries and generations.

Sheila built deep, lasting relationships with her friends and family. Each grandchild remembers the individual trips she took them on—a tradition that reflected her thoughtfulness, love of learning, and belief in the importance of shared stories and experiences.

Sheila was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Donna Shern. She is survived by Bill, her beloved husband and best friend of 68 years; her sons, Neal (Marie) and Paul (and son Charles); her grandchildren: John (Sara) and their children, Jack and William; Claire and her children, Caroline and Mae; Anne Marie (Nick); Patrick; and beloved cousins and lifelong friends. All will miss her dearly. 

Memorials preferred to St. Thomas Academy, the Irish Genealogical Society, International, and the Ramsey County Humane Society.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, May 23, at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church in Saint Paul, Minnesota. A gathering will be held an hour before at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church.

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