Odessa (Cunningham) Staggers

AYER: Odessa A. (Cunningham) Staggers, 95, the wife of the late Jonathan L. Staggers, Sr., and a former longtime resident of Hayward, California, died Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at Nashoba Valley Medical Center, Ayer. Mrs. Staggers was born in Richmond, Virginia June 11, 1927, the last survivor of ten children born to Johnnie and Jimmie (Hardy) Cunningham and resided fifty-two years in California before moving to Ayer, Massachusetts last year. Mrs. Staggers was a graduate of Maggie Walker High School of Richmond VA, and attended Virginia State University where she met her husband Jonathan. She later graduated from Claflin University, with a Bachelor of Science in Education. A lifelong teacher, Mrs. Staggers taught English & Physical Education at Logan High in the New Haven Unified School located in Union City, California. She was Logan High School girl’s tennis coach. She was a life member of several organizations including NAACP, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., and The Links. She volunteered with the Literacy Plus Program in Hayward, where she taught adults how to read. For her meritorious work, she was recognized by the City of Hayward by being named Woman of the Year. She was also a member of Church by the Side of the Road in Berkeley, CA. More recently she was a participant at Clearpath for Veterans at Devens. There she got to meet and converse with many members. Mrs. Staggers leaves her daughter, Sharon P. Staggers – Moss with whom she resided in Ayer; two sons, Vernon L. Staggers of Hayward, CA, Jonathan L. Staggers, Jr. of Menlo Park, CA; four grandchildren, Jason Staggers, Candice Woodson, Chelsea Staggers, Jackie Moss and four great grandchildren, Jayden Staggers, Jonathan Porter Staggers, Ensō Eli Staggers-Kaleta and Odessa Pearl Staggers-Kaleta. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late E.J. Cunningham, Myles Cunningham, James Cunningham, Reudi Cunningham, Emma Ford, Dot Brown, Roberta Morgan, Mattie Ashe and Gertie B. Taylor. Mrs. Staggers was the last surviving aunt of the late tennis great, Arthur Ashe. Mrs. Staggers’ funeral service will be held 1 PM Friday, June 2, 2023 at the Anderson Funeral Home, 25 Fitchburg Road, (Rte. 2A) Ayer. wwww.andersonfuneral.com. To view a recording of Odessa's Funeral Mass, please click the following link: https://my.gather.app/remember/odessa-staggers

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Odessa (Cunningham) Staggers

June 11, 1927 - May 3, 2023