Whether on the basketball court, working with a team, training young athletes or just living life, Rudolph B. Cunningham Jr. was remembered as a man of steady skill and values, always ready to share them with others.

Cunningham, 68, died Thursday, Aug. 28, of pneumonia. His passing leaves a deep void for family and friends, though his final days were marked by the humor and warmth he shared, even from his hospital bed. 

“We’re gonna miss the humorous side of him,” said Cunningham’s wife, Sheila. “He just always had to keep everybody laughing.” 

His playful spirit, they said, was a way of lifting others even in difficult times. 

“He was always in a joking way, that’s always been him,” said Cunningham’s son Rudolph L. Cunningham, “just taking the concern off of him and trying to let everybody know he was okay.” 

Born in Richmond on March 13, 1957, Cunningham first made a name for himself in basketball at Maggie Walker High School, where he was initially seen as quiet and reserved but became known for his pleasant and responsible nature. 

“He made you feel good just being around him,” said Howard Hopkins, a former Maggie Walker athletic director who maintained their friendship for years. 

Working alongside other notable student-athletes such as Clyde Austin, Cunningham became known for his impactful skills as a shot-blocker. His talents earned him the nickname “Rudy The Reject” and helped contribute to Maggie Walker’s State Group AAA title victory in 1976. 

“Rudy was slow-walking, slow-talking, but whenever his fire was lit, he was as good as anybody that came through here at that particular time,” said Harold Harris, a former assistant coach at Maggie Walker. 

After a year playing basketball at Winston- Salem State University following high school, Cunningham returned home, and joined the workforce. His lasting impact on sports came through coaching community programs, including basketball camps with Henrico County Recreation and Parks, where he shared both his skills and his values. 

Rudy L., a coach and host of community games, said his father’s training has had a lasting impact on him and other family members who are student-athletes as well as others who have gone on to mentor young people. 

“No matter what, you gotta have energy and effort to make it in whatever you want to do,” Rudy L. said. “Those are life lessons, not just in basketball but as a human being.” 

Cunningham is preceded in death by his parents, Rudy B. Cunningham Sr. and Mabel Cunningham; brother Charles Calvin and sister Cynthia. 

In addition to his wife and son Rudy L., he is survived by his daughter, Deandra Singleton; sons Shawnn B. Cunningham Sr. and Bernell Dante Lamont “B” Harris ; five grandchildren; two sisters; several nieces, nephews and cousins; and other relatives and friends. 

Cunningham’s remains rest at Joseph Jenkins Jr. Funeral Home at 2011 Grayland Ave. and can be viewed Thursday, Sept. 4 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 5 from 10 to 11 a.m. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 5 at St. Paul’s Baptist Church at 4247 Creighton Road.