Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1919-10-02
TAUGHT SCHOOL
FOR MANY YEARS
WIFE OF FORMER AUDUBON AT
TORNEY WHO TAUGHT HERE
DIED SUDDENLY

Rev. K. B. Cousins received word
the last of the week that Mrs. III, u.
Funk, a former resident of Audubon
had died very suddenly at her home
in Rogers, Arkansas.
Many of the older residents OF
Audubon will recall that Mr.. Funk
practiced law in this city and while
the family lived here Mrs. Funk
taught in the public schools of this
city for a period of sixteen years.
The Democrat of Rogers, Ark, con-
tains the following account OF her
life:
Mrs. Ada NJ. Funk, wife of May
or H. U. Funk, died quite suddenly
Thursday night at her home at No.
IT'S West Poplar street Death was
the result of heart trouble and
Brights' Disease. Mrs. Funk had
been poorly for some weeks but her
condition had not been considered
serious until day or two previous
to her death, which came very UNI
expectedly, and was great shock to
the family and friends.
Funeral services were held at
the residence Sunday afternoon at
three o'clock and were conducted by
Rey. T. E. McSpadden of the Pres
byterian church of which Mrs. Funk
had been a member for many years.
The funeral arrangements were
quite disarranged by the heavy rain
and the services at the cemetery
were necessarily very brief. Many
handsome flowers were received
from the friends of the family.
1.-THE death of Mrs. Funk brings
to a close a long and wonderfully
useful life, despite the fact that for
many years her health was poor and
that she was often in the school
room or working on public commit
tees when she should have been in
bed There is little doubt but that
her death last week is the result of
over work last spring and winter
when substituting for local teachers
in the Rogers public schools, assist
ing neighbors in their work during
the flu epidemic, serving as presi-
dent of the Woman's Study Club,
directing the community singing,
personally directing the Better Baby
Campaign, teaching in the Sunday
school, and helping every one and
every cause that came to her for as
sistance.
Miss Ada M. Wilkinson was born
March IL, 1856, in Jackson county,
Iowa, but grew to womanhood in
Montezuma, Poweshiek county, that
state, where she was living when
she married II. U. Funk March %,
1875. To them were born two chill
dren. Roy Funk of Omaha, Nebr.,
and Miss Gladys Funk, who is teach
ing at Rockwell, ta.. and who were
both here for the funeral. Mrs.
Funk is also survived by two sis
tiers, Mrs. Maggie Abbott Of Pilger.
Nebr., and Mrs. Amy Mackey of
Stanton. Nebr.
"In 1879 the family moved from
Deep River, Ia, to Audubon. Iowa,
where they resided until 1904. In
the fall of that year they moved to
West Plains, Mo-, coming to Rogers
from that place two years later in
the fall of 1906, and have since
made their home here.
Mrs, Funk was school teacher
practically all her life. She taught
several years before her marriage.
and was a teacher in the schools of
Audubon for sixteen years, always
in the primary department. Most
of her summers were spent in the
county normals where she was al
ways in great demand as an instruc-
tor. She also taught in a num-
Der of Nebraska summer normals.
She was one of the first women in
Iowa to run for county superinten-
dent of schools and was defeated by
very narrow margin. For a num-
hnr of xfno rec after annafno n pn0nrc
she had charge of the primary work
in the preparatory department of
Rogers Academy.
ITO but few women has been CIV
en- the privilege of coming in con-
tact with more lives OF the young
people. and especially at the impress
sionable age of youth Just when they
were starting their life work. Hun
dreds of men and women all over
the United States remember with
the kindliest feelings the days they
spent under her patient guidance.
The Democrat editor was pupil II
Mrs. Funk away back in those days
of the early SOS when she was
teaching in a little one-room prim-
airy ward school on the hill above
the old Northwestern depot in Audi
bon. and while II seems an awful
long time ago. he can still remember
most wildly the loyalty OF the pu-
pills to teacher"
"The one great trial of her life
was that she was always busy work
ing for someone else. To her own
personal comfort or desires, she new
err gave single thought. She was
modest in the extreme and never
sought publicity for herself in any
form Her life was one of sacri-
fee and hard work. but she enjoyed
In, A 90 hnr.rioo.t