Sue A. Steinbroner

Sue Ann Steinbroner, 88, formerly of Salamanca, N.Y., passed over to the spirit realm on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018, at the Absolut of Salamanca, where she had resided for the past year.

She was born June 25, 1929, in Salamanca to George and Alice (Hogue) Steinbroner and was the twelfth of fourteen children. She graduated from Salamanca High School, class of 1947. She was then married to John Jay Cunningham, and they had seven children together before they parted ways. Mr. Cunningham predeceased her in 1985. She had a “pioneer” spirit of sorts, and a tenacity and grit that enabled her to venture forth and raise her six surviving children on her own.

She worked various jobs to keep the family together, and later in life she became a Licensed Practical Nurse through the Greater Steuben Board of Cooperative Educational Services. She lived in Florida for 20 years before returning to New York about a decade ago. She worked in several facilities providing nursing care to the elderly and less fortunate until her retirement.

Having been a child of the Great Depression, she was able to make use of the least of anything. Circumstances warranted her coming up with nutritious dishes from strange ingredients, such as Slum Gullion and Egg Casserole. She enjoyed hand crafts such as knitting, crocheting, sewing and embroidery. She also had an artistic flair with drawing and painting. She had a very strong sense of family and was proud to become the matriarch of the Steinbroner family. She attended each annual Steinbroner family reunion sporting a different crazy hat, such as a Viking hat of horns, or Willie Nelson braids, or perhaps even as King Tut or Captain Jack Sparrow.

Surviving family members are: Daughter – Gail (Robert) Talbett of Canisteo, N.Y.; four sons, Timothy (Veronica) Cunningham of Austin, Texas, Christopher Cunningham of Hornell, N.Y., Patrick (Susan) Cunningham of Indianapolis, Ind., Benjamin (Carol) Cunningham of Anniston, Ala.; fifteen grandchildren, nineteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild due in February. She is also survived by a sister, Frances (Roger) Lord of Salamanca, N.Y.; a brother, Daniel (Lois) Steinbroner of Olean, N.Y.

Besides her parents, Sue was predeceased by a daughter, Theda Jayne Cunningham, and a son, James Jude Cunningham, and grandchildren Joseph L. Cunningham, Margaret L. Sharp and Daniel J. Sharp. She was also predeceased by her sisters Mary Morrisey, Lucille Wilcox, Alice Scanlon, Jeanette Crater, Ruth Beckwith and Marjorie Steinbroner; and brothers Gerald, Thomas, Frederick, John (Jack) and George.

Friends may call at the O’Rourke & O’Rourke Inc. Funeral Home, 25 River St., Salamanca, NY 14779 on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Contributions may be made in her name to the charity of the donor’s preference.