Patricia Louise Funke

Mom your hug meant the world

Nobody else held us so tight

Or made us feel so right

Kept our family together with all your might

Filled with love, no one’s eyes shined so bright

And a smile that made us feel so loved

As our mom, who is now an Angel high above

     The world lost a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, Patricia “Pat” Louise Funke, on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at the age of 89.  Patricia was born January 14, 1934 to Lawernce and Zita Schmidt in Greencreek, ID.  She was the third of seventeen children.

     Pat was raised on the Schmidt farm, and some of her fondest memories were of riding in the grain wagon with her Dad, being pulled by two workhorses named Bolly and Bert.  She and her siblings would pull the legs off grasshoppers, and Pat’s mom Zita would fry them up and they were a favorite to all.  Pat was a member of her father’s “Schmidt Family Band” in which she played the piano.  She learned to play various instruments as a child; she was particularly talented on the piano and would often play during years of family events.  After graduating from Greencreek High School, Pat attended college at Holy Names College in Spokane, Washington.

     On January 3, 1953 Pat married the love of her life, Fred Funke, and they remained lovingly married for 63 years before his passing on March 30, 2016.  The couple began their marriage in Cottonwood until Fred joined the U.S. Army.  After his service, they moved to Lewiston. While living in Lewiston, Fred and Pat had six children, five sons and a daughter.  In 1970, Fred and Pat moved their family to Deary where they leased the Park Ranch from 1969 to 1983 farming and raising cattle and built a reputation as a fun-loving, hard-working, loving family that is deeply embedded in the Deary community.  In 1983 they moved into their dream home outside of Deary that Fred and their son Mike built and lived in for the rest of their lives.  Pat worked at the ASCS and FSA office in Moscow from 1982 to 1997 and enjoyed helping the Latah County farming community, again making many friends and being recognized for her intelligence and diligence.

Fred and Pat loved the mountains.  They enjoyed riding horses into the Idaho wilderness, visiting numerous lakes and mountains with family and friends.  Pat and Fred bought a motor home after they retired taking trips in the lower 48, spending 6 months traveling to Canada and Alaska and spent winters in Parker, Arizona for 8 years with family and friends.  They enjoyed meeting new lifelong friends along the way.

     In her spare time, Pat enjoyed canning, baking, knitting, crocheting, reading, dancing, singing & playing the piano, gardening and tending her beautiful flowers. Another love of Pat’s was sewing quilts for her children, grandchildren, and great children.  She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Moscow.

     Above all else, Pat deeply loved her family.  The Funke home was the epicenter for the Funke family, and Pat hosted dozens of family and friends including the infamous “Pig Day” family celebrations each year and holiday parties that would run into the night with Pat playing pinochle with her children and grandchildren into the early hours of the morning.  Pat is survived by her sons Larry and wife Debbie of Deary, Steve and wife Kellie of Bovill, Jeff of Everett, WA., Brian and wife Wendy of Moscow, and daughter Carleen and husband Toby Baldwin of Lewiston.  She is also survived by 18 grandchildren Michael, Jennifer, Kyle, Kristy Jo, Daniel, Tyrel, Misty Marie, Matthew, Justin, Cassie, Jacob, Kaci Patricia, Lacey Marie, Kristina, Taylor Marie, Lance, Reece Michael Fredrick, and Lane Patrick; and 20 great-grandchildren Colten, Graci Ann, Cole, Carter, Cooper, Alma, Hunter, Audrey, Hadrain, Kolby, Fredrick III “Little Freddie,” Kimberlen, Theo, twins Stevie & Sophie, Britton, Sawyer, Jeremiah, Scarlette, and Stetson.  She is also survived by her siblings Susie Chamberlain of Longview, WA, Colet Herman of Raymond, IL, Larry Schmidt, Kelso, WA, Mary Jo Hoene of Nez Perce, ID, Tony and Delberta Schmidt of Spokane, WA, Larry and Kathy Nelson of Clarkston, WA, Tim and Diane Schmidt of Clarkston, WA, Greg and Linda Schmidt of Chandler, AZ, Gretta and Grady of Lehigh Acres, FL, and Ted and Teresa Schmidt of Cottonwood, ID, many nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.

     Patricia was preceded in death by her husband Fredrick Funke, her son Michael Fredrick Funke; her parents Lawernce and Zita Schmidt; her brothers William, Al, Vic, and Gary Schmidt; her sisters Bernadine Ross and Alice Peck.

     A rosary will be recited at 10:30 am, the funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am Saturday, October 7, 2023, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Moscow.  Burial services will follow at Pinecrest Cemetery at Deary.  There will be a potluck afterward at the Deary Community Center.

    The family suggests memorials in Patricia’s name be made to the Deary Ambulance Fund.

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