A few minutes after having prayed the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary with her four children gathered around her, Theresa Funke, 94, passed away Thursday, May 23, 2024, in Clarkston.
Theresa Frances Schumacher was born on March 26, 1930, on her parents’ farm in Greencreek. The midwife who assisted at her birth was her maternal grandmother Philomenia (Nuxoll, Schmidt) Jansen. She was the youngest of the 10 children of Anton and Frances (Schmidt) Schumacher. By the time Theresa was 7, her three older sisters had all married and started their own families; her nephew Herb Stubbers is older than she, and her niece Amelia (Stubbers) Frei was her classmate. So, Theresa grew up with her five older brothers. Theresa attended grade school in Greencreek and graduated from Greencreek High School, Class of 1948; she was the last survivor of her class. Through her school years and after graduation she lived on the family farm and was her mother’s “right-hand man,” assisting with the work in the home and farm.
In 1946, Theresa met the love of her life, Donald Funke, at a barn dance on the Lustig Stock Creek Ranch. Four years later, on Oct. 11, 1950, they married in St. Anthony Church in Greencreek. During their 63 years of marriage, they raised four children. Theresa was quite the cook, and after a meal Don was frequently heard to say, “Thanks for another great dinner.” At the end of each supper, the family prayed the rosary.
In 1959, Don and Theresa with Don’s brother John formed “Funke Brothers Farm”; John’s wife Mary joined the venture in 1965. They farmed together south of Ferdinand for over 50 years. Through the years, they milked cows, prayed for rain and harvested the crops.
Theresa was a homemaker; her realm was the family home and yard. She was a good cook — pies and buns were two of her specialties — a seamstress, and through the years crocheted numerous afghans for her family, friends and parish raffles. She gave special care and attention to her pie-cherry trees in the front yard of the house, and over the years picked and provided many boxes of cherries for family and friends.
Don and Theresa along with their family were faithful members of Assumption Parish in Ferdinand. At different times, they both served on the parish council. Theresa was very active in the Christian Mothers, serving in various offices, including “chair” of funeral dinners. For several years she collected funds for the American Cancer Society.
In 2011, Don and Theresa retired from the farm and moved to Cottonwood. They enjoyed relaxation, car rides, visits with family and friends, and were Idaho Vandal fans. Don died in 2014. Theresa continued to live in Cottonwood; in 2019, she moved to Royal Plaza of Olympus Living in Lewiston (where she was known as “Mother Theresa”), close to her children Diane and Bill.
Theresa was preceded in death by her parents, Anton and Frances; and all her nine siblings: Caroline (John) Stubbers, Alphonse (Agnes) Schumacher, Louise (Adolph) Arnzen, Josephine (Joe) Stubbers, Anselm (Vera) Schumacher, Christopher Schumacher, Joe Schumacher, Carl (Cleora) Schmidt and Ed Schumacher; and one granddaughter. She is survived by her four children: Diane Schultz, of Lewiston, Father Gerald Funke, of Weiser, Idaho, Bill (Dianna) Funke, of Lewiston, and Ron (Delores) Funke, of Grangeville; 9 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. The day before her death, Theresa held in her arms her youngest great-grandchild, two-month-old Clementine Funke. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law Elaine Schumacher and Norma Schumacher; brother-in-law and sister-in-law John and Mary Funke; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 30, at Assumption Catholic Church, Ferdinand. A rosary will be recited at 10 a.m. with the funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Cottonwood Catholic Cemetery.
The family would like to thank the staff of Royal Plaza of Olympus Living for their service and care to Theresa over the past four years. Blackmer Funeral Home of Grangeville is in charge of arrangements. Send condolences to the family at blackmerfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Assumption Church, Ferdinand (c/o P.O. Box 425, Cottonwood, ID 83522) or to St. Mary’s Health (c/o Sister Elisa Martinez, St. Mary’s Hospital, 701 Lewiston St., Cottonwood, ID 83522).
