Lois Funke

Funeral Services: Monday, August 8, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. at the Trinity Christian Church in Bridgewater with burial in the Garner Cemetery with Auxilary Services.

Open Visitation: Sunday, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle.

Family visitation: Sunday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle.

Memorials: To the Lois Funke Memorial Fund to be established by the family.

Lois Irene (Ruch) Funke was born September 17, 1925 to Leroy and Nellie Ann (Campbell) Ruch at their home in rural Adair County, Iowa. She passed away August 5, 2011, at the Good Samaritan Center in Fontanelle, Iowa.

Lois was raised in rural Adair County and attended country school. On December 29, 1942, she was united in marriage to Howard Funke at the First Methodist Church in Seattle, Washington. To this union, two sons and four daughters were born: Rebecca, Sherry, Howard, Marcia, Rocky and Cindy.

After school, Lois worked for various families in the community helping out with childcare and household duties when new babies arrived. While Howard served in the Army, Lois remained in Washington and worked at a canning factory where she always talked about being paid in silver dollars. In later years, after returning to Iowa, Lois worked on the farm as the “hired hand” and in town as a waitress. Later on, she worked in the Bridgewater-Fontanelle Schools as a janitor and cook from which she retired in 1990.

Lois enjoyed quilting and playing bingo. She was a long-time member and past President of the William Thompson Legion Auxiliary Post 703. She was also a member of the Trinity Christian Church in Bridgewater and the Martha Circle.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard in 2004; her parents; three brothers, Rex, Leroy Jr., & Harvey Ruch; seven sisters, Lula Williams, Venice Reichardt, Geneva Clark, Iva Rechtenbach, Alma Cousins, Delores Jameson, and Nina Parkis; daughters, Rebecca Dunkerson in 2002 and Marcia Schmitt in 2003; great-grandson Robert Jo Tollers in 1996; and great-granddaughter Alexis Schmitt in 2011.

She is survived by her four children, Sherry Ruggles & husband Jim of Beatrice, NE; Howard Funke & Kathy of Fontanelle, Rocky Funke of Macksburg ,and Cindy Wambold & husband Terry of Oklahoma City, OK; 18 grandchildren, Debra Norman, Khristy Rupp, James Dunkerson, Terri Keiner-Dunkerson, Shelly Dunkerson-Shaffer, Michael & Daren Ruggles, Duane & Patrick Funke, Jericho, Jason & Jared Schmitt, Aaron Funke, Amanda Tucker, Travis, Shane & Tasha Wambold, and Chantel Schmidt; 4 step-grandsons, Travis & Justin Arterburn and Travis & Rob Henley; 61 great-grandchildren; 31 great-great-grandchildren; one brother-in-law, Bob Jameson of Bridgewater; one sister-in-law, Wava Ruch of Nevinville; two sons-in-law, Darold Dunkerson of Menlo and Joe Schmitt of Walnut; one special nephew, Bobbie Jameson of Bridgewater; as well as many other nieces, nephews and friends.