Encyclopedia Titanica

MISS FUNK ONE OF THE DEAD

Paterson Morning Call

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Former House Secretary of the Local Y. W. C. A. Was on Titanic
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COMING FROM INDIA
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Was Missionary There and Intended Spending Part of Furlough in Paterson
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A large number of Patersonians will regret to hear that Miss Annie Funk, who, for a number of years, was house secretary of the Young Women’s Christian association, of this city, was one of the victims of the Titanic’s disaster. Miss Funk was returning from India, where she was engaged in missionary work. It was her first furlough in five years and numerous Patersonians received letters from her in which she expressed
joy over the expectation of seeing them again.

Miss Funk was a missionary of the Mennonite faith. She was the daughter of James Funk, of Boyertown, Pa., and her family was prominent among the Pennsylvania German inhabitants of that section. She was a graduate of the Northfield training school for Christian work and from there went to Chattanooga, Tenn., where she did missionary work among the negroes. There she met Patersonians who informed her of the position of house secretary was open [sic] at the Paterson Y. W. C. A. and urged upon her to come here and take up the work for which she was so admirably educated. She came here when the Y. W. C. A. was still in its Bridge street headquarters and remained for three years after the new home on Ellison and Church streets was opened. She was an excellent official and under her supervision the building was faultlessly kept and managed. She also taught a class at the Market street Sunday school. Later she decided to take up missionary work entirely and was assigned to Janjgir, Central province, India. She sailed on Nov. 16, 1906, and on her departure a number of her friends presented her with a small collapsible organ which she has since used in her missionary work.

She has been successful as a missionary. She was full of zeal and love for her life’s work and possessed a kindly heart and lovable disposition, which made her popular with all who knew her. When her name appeared in the New York papers among the missing victims of the Titanic, friends in Paterson, became anxious, for the age, thirty-eight, and the correct spelling of the name caused them to fear for the worst. They telegraphed to her some in Pennsylvania and the reply received was that she was one of the unfortunate ones. Her friends here feel the loss greatly and stated that they feet [sic] she was one of those who modestly stood back and helped to put others into places of safety before thinking of herself.

At the service in the Market Street Methodist Episcopal church, yesterday morning, the pastor, Rev. W. C. Snodgrass, alluded to the death of Ms. Funk in a touching manner. At the Sunday school session in the afternoon Superintendent H. S. Park, who knew the deceased, also spoke of her tragic death and alluded to the good work she had done while a teacher in the school.

Next Sunday afternoon there will be a special memorial service at the Y. W. C. A. in her honor and this will undoubtedly be largely attended.

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Encyclopedia Titanica (2003) MISS FUNK ONE OF THE DEAD (Paterson Morning Call, Monday 22nd April 1912, ref: #1291, published 28 August 2003, generated 4th December 2024 08:16:52 PM); URL : https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/miss-funk-one-dead.html