Thomas Cunningham, 67, a scorekeeper for the Chicago Wheelchair Bulls and the commissioner for the Lake Michigan Conference of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association, died June 12 in Valley West Rehabilitation Health Center in Eugene, Ore. A longtime resident of Chicago’s North Side, Mr. Cunningham got involved with wheelchair basketball as a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Although he was not disabled, he wanted to support friends who were forming the team there. After the players moved to Chicago and formed the Chicago Sidewinders–later to become the Chicago Bulls– he continued to support the team. “I grew up going to all the wheelchair basketball games,” said his daughter Lisa Barnett. Mr. Cunningham was also a chauffeur for Standard Oil Co. Survivors include another daughter, Kelly Cunningham; three sons, James, Terry and Kevin; two sisters, Maryann Weber and Sheila Harr; a brother, Bernard; and nine grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at the VFW, 7401 N. Lincoln Ave., Skokie.
