Cunningham, Dr. Robert Murray – 74, Died June 5, 1998, in the QEII Health Sciences Centre, New Infirmary Site. Born in China of missionary parents, James Dutton Cunningham, Leith, Scotland, and Mildred Jocelyn Armstrong, Roundhill. He graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School in 1947. He did general practice in eastern Saskatewan, then postgraduate studies in radiotherapy in London, England, and on return, practiced in Montreal. He spent two years with the Columbo Plan in Rangoon, Burma, establishing a cancer treatment/radiotherapy unit. He joined the staff at the Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, now the Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation, in 1961 until his retirement in 1986, and was physician –in-charge for several years. He had a lifelong interest in astronomy and was honorary president of the Halifax Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, and a life member of the RASC. For many years, he was active with the Dartmouth Experimental Aircraft Association and was involved in building and flying two experimental aircraft. Music was a very important part of his life, attending and performing, and he was a member of the Halifax Chamber Choir until it disbanded.

He was an active participant in the Dartmouth Players for several years. Painting, woodworking and pottery were favorite hobbies and he served on the acquisition committee of the Dalhousie Art Gallery for several years. He was a pacifist and a democratic socialist all his adult life, and was a life member of the Nova Scotia NDP. He was a founding member of the Halifax Society of Friends and the Halifax Field Naturalists. Surviving are his wife Patricia Anne (Welton) Morash; daughters, Jocelyn Cunningham, Mahone Bay; Vivian Cunningham Bruce, Moncton; stepson, William E. Morash, St. John’s, Nfld; sister, Majorie Levan, Kingston, Ont.; brother, Gordon, Red Deer, Alta; four granddaughters; four nephews and two nieces. He was predeceased by his first wife, Dr. Helen Wasman. Memorial service 2 p.m. June 17 in the Universalist Unitarian Church, 5500 Inglis st., Halifax. Donations can be made to the RASC Halifax Centre, St. Croix Observatory Project. P.O. Box 31011, Halifax, B3K 5T9.

—Nova Notes, June 1998