Good News!  Thanks for all of the suggestions.  The problem was the switch
on my brake pedal (just one as I have an automatic).
I could see that there was the remnant of some sort of white button (maybe)
on the end of the switch plunger shaft and that must have deteriorated and
fallen off.  That would have changed the 'on/off' setting of the switch.

I took it off and disassembled it as Ken had recommended, lubed it with a
little vasoline and put it all back in and now cruise works just fine - and
once again, so does 'the list'.

Thanks so much.

John

On Mon, Mar 5, 2012 at 9:47 AM, george jannini <georgejoann@gmail.com>wrote:

>
>
> >>...My cruise control has 'gone away' and I don't know why yet....<<
>
>
>   A quick & dirty place to start would be the brake pedal switch, I'd be
> willing to bet that clutch & brake switches are the #1 failure point.
>
>   There's supposed to be a white tab(?) that pushes on the switch
> plunger. (imagine an upside-down thumbtack)   These things have a tendency
> to dissolve, but that's no tragedy, because the switch can be adjusted to
> where the switch plunger itself contacts the flat on the pedal.
>
>   Be careful, as the threads on the switch are plastic, and the one on my
> brake stripped-but that's another workaround.
>
> Geo/ATL
>