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James Harold ‘Jim’ Cunningham

Memorial services were held Aug. 26 for journalist and former newspaper publisher James Harold “Jim” Cunningham, 72, of Moulton.

Cunningham died Aug. 21 at San Antonio Military Medical Center, where he was airlifted for treatment following a three-vehicle collision July 21.

Cunningham was born in Rosebud on April 19, 1944 to James Robert Cunningham and Opal Dockery Cunningham. A graduate of Rosebud High School, he served in the U.S. Army as a sergeant during the Vietnam War and as a combat photojournalist. He was a decorated war hero, having received the Bronze Star for meritorious service. He earned numerous awards in the field throughout his career in the newspaper industry. 

He married Dr. Debra Kay Brentzel, DVM, on Nov. 14, 1976 in San Marcos.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters, Jena Parris of Mansfield and Cristin Hughes of Sulphur Springs; a granddaughter, Jillian Parris of Mansfield; three sisters; 17 nieces and nephews; and 27 great nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations may be made to Woodland Cemetery Association, Box 795, Rosebud, TX 76570; or The Fisher House Foundation, which provides housing to military families with hospitalized relatives.

Graveside service was held Sept. 17 in Woodland Cemetery in Rosebud.

Lin Mills

Linwood Mills, 92, of Waco, retired reporter, photographer and newspaper editor, died Aug. 11.

Mills was born May 5, 1924, in Lufkin and had been a resident of Waco for 47 years. He retired in 1988 as city editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald, where he worked for 17 years. 

He served three years as a glider pick-up operator during World War II before graduating with a journalism degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1950.

He first went to work for the Taylor Daily Press, where he remained for 12 years as reporter, photographer and editor before joining the Cuero Record as managing editor. In 1964, he became news editor and later managing editor of the Texas City Sun. 

Mills served as city editor and managing editor of the Galveston Daily News from 1966 until 1970, when he joined the Waco Tribune-Herald. 

He was elected president of the Taylor Lions Club in 1957 and 40 years later, he was elected president of the Waco Founder Lions Club. He received many awards for his club work, including Lions International awards. Mills served as chairman of the club’s public relations committee for approximately 16 years. 

Mills is survived by his wife, the former Claudene Warner; and one daughter, Rebecca Lynn. 

Memorials may be made to Waco Founder Lions Club.

Colleen O’Connor

Former Dallas Morning News writer Colleen O’Connor, 60, died Aug. 31 in Denver, Colorado.

A 1978 graduate of the University of Redlands in California, where she was Phi Beta Kappa and editor of the student newspaper, O’Connor started her career with an internship at Mademoiselle magazine in New York. 

She was a freelance writer before joining The News in 1986. After several years at The News, O’Connor moved to Germany, where she wrote freelance articles about Europe after communism. Some of those stories appeared in The News.

In 1993, she returned to The News, then later to the San Francisco Bay area, where she was a freelance writer and worked for nonprofits.

Since 2004, she was a reporter for the Denver Post.

The Dallas Morning News reported that O’Connor died after being struck in a crosswalk by a car. The driver has been charged with vehicular homicide and reckless driving. Officials said alcohol appeared to be a factor in the incident.

A celebration of O’Connor’s life was held Sept. 10 at James A. Bible Park in Denver.

Survivors include her mother, Virginia O’Connor of Fullerton, Calif., and sister, Carol O’Casey of Bend, Ore. 

Her brother, Kevin O’Connor, died in the spring.

Memorials may be made to the Denver Public Library Friends Foundation at dplfriends.org/donate/donate.html.