Mozelle Florence Elrod Cunningham, 98, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 13, 2023, surrounded by her family. She was born to Henry and Jewel Elrod on September 17, 1924, in Blount County Alabama. Mozelle often recounted stories of life on the family farm, especially those contests with her siblings about who could pick the most cotton. Mozelle graduated from Boaz High School in 1943 where she was a star basketball player. She met her husband, Chester Cunningham, while both were employed at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Gadsden, Alabama. They were married in Rising Fawn, Georgia on October 14, 1943. The family moved from Birmingham to Detroit, Michigan in 1952 to take advantage of the post-war economic boom. Chester was employed by Uniroyal Tire and Rubber Company and Mozelle began her 30-year career with the A&P Tea Company, rising to the position of senior accountant.
Mozelle was an excellent seamstress and fashioned many of her daughters’ clothes. She was also a great cook in the Southern style, and taught, as well as learned, from her northern friends. Retiring from A&P in 1980, she and Chester returned to Alabama, first to Lake Martin, then to Geraldine, and later to Huntsville. Mozelle was an accomplished quilter and organized a quilting club while in Geraldine. She lovingly made in excess of 25 quilts, monograming each for her family members. An avid walker, Mozelle regularly enjoyed the greenway near her home in Huntsville. In her later years she lived with her daughter, Mitzi, where she adopted a black cat “Pickles”, who became her constant companion until her death. A long-time and loyal member of Whitesburg Baptist Church, she stayed in touch with her many friends from church and Sunday School, even after becoming homebound.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Chester Cunningham; her parents, Henry and Jewel Elrod; grandson, David Robinson; nine brothers and sisters, Edseline Elrod, F. C. Elrod, Leon Williams, Aaron Elrod, Ulmer Elrod, Lovell Davis, Joyce Gore, Gerald Elrod, and Wendell Elrod. She is survived by her daughters, Patricia Johnston (Peg), Mitzi Hays (John) and Billie Hoelzer (Hans); grandchildren, Richard Johnston (Jian), Robert Johnston (Andi), Kelly Parson (Chuck) and Jennifer Wissman (Joe); seven great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, and nephews.
Funeral services will be held in the South Campus Chapel of Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville on Friday, January 20, at noon. Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at Hampton Cove Memory Gardens, with Laughlin Service Funeral Home handling funeral arrangements.
