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George Funk Obituary
Marshalltown - George Lewis Funk, 85, of Marshalltown, IA, passed away Thursday, June 6, 2019, at Briarwood Health Care Center in Iowa City, IA. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, June 29, 2019, at the Roundhouse located on the Marshalltown High School Campus at 1602 S. 2nd Avenue, Marshalltown, IA. Memorials may be directed to the George Funk Memorial Fund which will be used to benefit future student athletes of Marshalltown High School. Anderson Funeral Homes of Marshalltown has been entrusted with the arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.andersonfhs.com.
George was born on December 5, 1933, in Peoria, Illinois, the son of A. Marie (Blythe) Funk and George H. Funk. He graduated in 1952 from Manual High School in Peoria. While in high school, he played football, baseball, and basketball. George earned a scholarship to play basketball at Drake University in Des Moines, IA, and played there from 1952-1956. In 2006, he was named to the Drake Basketball All Decade Team. While at Drake, George was also a member of the Air Force ROTC. After graduation, he served in the Air Force as a radar technician. He would say the best part of college was that it is where he met his wife, Phyllis Diane Thomas. They were married on June 9, 1956, one week after they graduated from Drake. George began his teaching and coaching career in Ida Grove and Knoxville, IA, before going to Marshalltown High School. There he served as Head Boys Basketball coach for 26 years. He retired from coaching in 1989, but retained his position as Athletic Director until his retirement in 1998. When George and Phyllis moved to Marshalltown in 1963, George became a Bobcat for life as he never lost his passion for Bobcat athletics and for the Marshalltown community. George was an avid Cubs fan, he enjoyed gardening and fishing, and he especially enjoyed spending time with his family. Family vacations were always special.
George is survived by his wife, Phyllis of Marshalltown; three children: Diane (Earl Gingerich) Funk of Iowa City, Lori (Steve) Mitts of Olathe, KS, Mark (Tim) Funk Meyer of Minneapolis, MN; seven grandchildren: Ethan Gingerich, Aliese Gingerich, Ben (Nina Luo) Mitts, Alex (Roxanne) Mitts, Andres Meyer, Pablo Meyer, Rudy Meyer; and his brother, Robert (Bill Weber) Funk of Charleston, IL.
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Memories and Condolences
for George Funk
Sponsored by Anderson Funeral Home - Marshalltown Chapel.
Bill Eisenbarth
June 5, 2024
A good man a great coach and I enjoyed our aquaintance as fellow Illinoisans brought to Marshalltown for basketball !
Will Cravens
June 5, 2024
Fondest memories of George Funk but particularly as teammates on our high school basketball in Peoria, Illinois, which went to the finals in the State championship tournament in 1952. George was our high scorer, best player.
Will Cravens
June 5, 2023
Our Manual High basketball team went to the Illinois State finals in 1952, the first time since the 1930s, and I was a teammate to George Funk. George was our star player.
Steve Cooper
June 23, 2019
My Condolences and Best Wishes go out to the family of George Funk and greetings to all who benefited from knowing and/or being coached by Coach Funk. I was certainly fortunate to have been coached by and known George.
He was clearly the best sports coach I ever had and we were pretty successful in 1966, but more importantly I discovered that what he coached us to think and do was key not just in winning basketball games, but lessons for a successful life. George stressed fundamentals (Positioning, Boxing Out, Running an Offence and Defense Correctly and Together, Team before Self, No Whining, Practicing Well and Hard....any many other lessons that helped us in life.
I visited him at his home many times after his retirement and we shared stories and laughed at a lot of things. He had an amazing memory of players, teams and games. He became a friend.
I remember telling him about one time when I didn't get what he was trying to teach me. One day in practice I did something wrong (can't remember what it was) and in the break in practice he faced me (close up face to face as was sometimes his habit) and started explaining his lesson. I kept taking a small step back and he kept taking a small step forward as he continued to explain what I was to do. This went on and on as we small stepped from one end of the court to the other while my team-mates were quietly laughing on the sidelines. I told George that on that day I was so nervous that I did not remember a single thing he said while I was stepped from one end to the other. He laughed and admitted he could be very direct and persistent to be certain we "got it". That one time I didn't get it. We laughed.
I give thanks that I was coached by and knew George Funk I offer a poem/thought that was helpful to me at my own father's passing.
I am standing on the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a spec of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"
"Gone where?"
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!" there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: "Here she comes!"
And that is dying.
Thanks to you George and George's family.
Steve Cooper
MHS Class of 1966
John Moore
June 18, 2019
Sorry to hear about the passing of Coach. I was fortunate to play for him on the 1966 State Championship team. Whenever I think of him now it makes me smile. Not so much as a player because he demanded your best and stretched your abilities sometimes beyond what you thought was possible. He had a knack for molding individuals into successful teams...... on and off the court! He is a legend in Iowa basketball.
Is legacy will live on in the lives of all those he influenced over the years. I wanted to express my condolences to Coach Funk's family.
Don't cry because it's over......Smile because it happened!
John Moore
1966 State Champs
June 14, 2019
George was a great basketball coach! As a former baseball official he challenged you to due your best as I'm sure he did his players. He gave me some great funny memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. Rest In Peace and my God bless you!
Bob Klieman
June 12, 2019
I would like to express my sincerest condolences for your loss. May the God of all comfort give you his peace at this very difficult time. Php 4:6,7
Willis Cravens
June 12, 2019
Saddened to learn of the passing of George Funk. I was a teammate of George at Manual High in Peoria, Illinois where in 1952 we went to the Sweet Sixteen state basketball finals. George was our star player and scored 36 points in a loss to Taylorville.
June 12, 2019
So sorry for the family's loss. No words can ever express the loss of a loved one. May all of you find comfort and peace in all the loving memories you've shared together. Please be comforted in knowing that God understands your grief and he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6,7)
Your neighbor..
June 12, 2019
Our sincere condolences to the Funk family for the loss of your dear love one. Our prayers are as yours, that God provide his care and comfort you each day.
- Psalms 145:18,19
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