N.A. — K.. [Group Sheet]

Gustav — Sheila Faye Ensminger. Sheila (daughter of Earl Jacob Ensminger and Ruth Mae Funk) was born 17 Apr 1935, Pennsylvania; died 4 Jun 2014. [Group Sheet]

Earl — Ruth Mae Funk. Ruth (daughter of Ezra Myers Funk and Bessie Mae Strine) was born 6 Aug 1911, Strinestown, York, Pennsylvania, USA; died 30 Nov 1979, Saint Petersburg, Pinellas, Florida, USA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Died:
Age at Death: 68

Jacob — Mary Alice Fink. Mary was born Abt 1869, Pennsylvania. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Ezra was the son of Benjamin Franklin Funk (10-1-1858) and Fannie Myers (1-4-1890). He was a pastor/school-teacher/ farmer.

At age 16 Ezra received a certificate to teach. A Doctorate of Divinity was given to him by Huntington College in 1935. He was a great teacher. Looking toward heaven, he once said, “I hope there will be someone for me to teach.” He was especially adept at teaching biblical doctrine.

While pastoring churches in Pennsylvania, Funk chalked up 28 years as an elementary public schoolteacher. A school superintendent described him as “one of the most energetic teachers I have ever known.” And creative. He was always on the lookout for visual aids to use in the classroom. He put a sandbox in his classroom; students played in it, and he used it to teach measurements–quarters, cups, etc. Standing just over 5’3”, Funk wasn’t much taller than his students.

He grew up in the York Brethren, a branch of the plain-dressing River Brethren. Always small for his age, he was subject to much bullying. At age 20, when he announced to his parents that he was joining the United Brethren to become a minister, it didn’t go over well. But he knew that’s where God wanted him.

In 1906, he joined the Salem UB church near Chambersburg and was licensed to preach. He went on to pastor various churches in Pennsylvania: in Chambersburg, Shippensburg, Orrstown, Strinestown, Waynesboro, Heidlersburg. In 1909 he and Bessie were married, and would have 11 children, two of which died as infants (Ezra assisted in nine of the births). He pastored Baptist churches 1919-1924, but then returned to the UB fold. In 1941, Funk was elected bishop, and served until 1957.

Funk was a voracious reader, and a dedicated walker. Every morning he took a brisk “devotional” walk, during which he would read the Bible and pray. He was always reading something, and was even known to take a book to read during denominational board meetings.

He read the Bible over and over. One time during a UB missions convention in Ontario, while everyone else spent the afternoon visiting Niagara Falls, Funk stayed behind to re-read the Book of Acts, on which he was preaching that night. A note in his Bible said he had already read Acts 111 times.

He was also devoted to UB missions. Two daughters served in Sierra Leone. He traveled three times to Jamaica to teach the pastors, he organized Honduras Conference in 1956, and he also visited our work in Hong Kong and Sierra Leone.

After the 1957 General Conference, Ezra and Bessie, along with daughter Erma, moved to Greencastle, Pa. Within a couple months, he was diagnosed with cancer. Bishop Ezra Funk passed away on June 10, 1958, at age 71. Bishop Meadows preached at his funeral in Strinestown, Penn.

(Many thanks to Nancy Hull N’Gele, who wrote the chapter about Bishop Funk in United Brethren Bishops, Volume 2.)

He married Bessie May Strine (1-13-1890) on October 5, 1909 by his brother Rev. Amos M.Funk. They had the following children:
1. Ruth Mae Funk b: 6 AUG 1911
2. Elizabeth Irene Funk b: 2 OCT 1914
3. Erma Lois Funk b: 8 JUL 1916
4. Violet Grace Funk b: 29 AUG 1918
5. Emma Jean Funk b: 15 JUL 1920
6. Benjamin Ezra Funk b: 5 SEP 1922
7. Daniel Strine Funk b: 24 MAR 1924
8. Arlene Rebecca Funk b: 5 OCT 1926
9. Josephine Cecelia Funk b: 11 JAN 1929
10.Jacob Strine Funk b: 12 JAN 1932
11.__?__ Funk

He joined the Pennsylvannia Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ in 1908. He was ordained in 1915 by Bishop Fermin Hoskins.

He was Bishop from 1941 to 1957. He retired in 1957.

Ezra married Bessie Mae Strine 5 Oct 1909, York, Pennsylvania, USA. Bessie (daughter of Millard Fillmore Algire Strine and Tancie Elizabeth Westhafer) was born 13 Jan 1890, Pennsylvania; died 3 Jul 1968, Strinestown, York, Pennsylvania, USA. [Group Sheet]