Catherine Anne Cunningham

Katie Cunningham, 43, of Hudson, MA, beloved wife, mama, daughter, sister, friend, niece and cousin, passed away at home on July 4, 2025 surrounded by family, after complications related to ovarian cancer.

Katie was born in Boston on August 31, 1981 to Joyce and Warren Cunningham, and was brought home to her older sister, Ellen. Together, they formed the closest and most loving of families, and Katie blossomed through their love. Katie attended Hudson High School, where she was an active member of the drama program, played field hockey, volunteered as a peer leader, and was the Hawks mascot, famously getting into a brawl with the Marlborough Panther at the 1998 Thanksgiving Day Game. After graduating in 1999, she attended Simmons College, where she majored in English and minored in Photography.

Katie built a successful career in children’s book publishing. She worked at Candlewick Press for over twenty years, eventually rising to the role of Associate Publisher, before being appointed Publisher at Nosy Crow earlier this year. Katie was devoted to inclusivity and representation in children’s literature, and she leaves behind a legacy of books that will be loved by children and help shape lives for generations to come.

Katie met the love of her life, Erin, in 2016, and the pair married on Cape Cod in 2018. In 2020, they welcomed their son, Jack, and together they created a beautiful home for themselves in Hudson. Katie was an incredible mother, and was happiest when playing with her son, reading to him and holding him while he slept. She loved Jack with her whole heart and he felt every ounce of her love.

In addition to Erin and Jack, Katie is survived by her parents, Joyce and Warren Cunningham; her beloved sister, Ellen; Ellen’s partner, Angelo Morales; her nieces and nephew, Moriana, Eva, and AJ; and Kristine Lyman, her dear cousin. Katie also leaves behind many aunts, uncles and cousins, who were always a very important part of her life, and a huge network of friends, including her lifelong best friend, Melissa Pimentel. She touched the lives of many and will be deeply missed.

If Katie could describe her perfect day, it would be sitting on a beautiful beach with her family, her toes in the sand, the hot sun beating down on her face, reading a good book and listening to all the kids and dogs playing around her.

Relatives and friends are invited to a period of visitation from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Thursday, July 10, 2025 at Tighe Hamilton Regional Funeral Home, 50 Central St., Hudson, MA. A funeral will be held at the Unitarian Church at 80 Main Street in Hudson, MA at 11AM on Friday July 11, 2025. Family and friends are asked to go directly to the church. A burial for Katie will follow at Forestvale Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Katie’s memory to: The Pan Mass Challenge: Katie’s Ride, Team Ovarian Cancer, MGH Cancer Center or The Center for Coastline Studies.