Susan F. Funk

1956 - 2023

Mystic - Susan F. (Stucke) Funk, 67, Mystic Seaport Museum's retired Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer passed away Dec. 10, 2023, from complications of Alzheimer's Disease. Born in the Mary Alley Hospital in Old Town Marblehead, Mass., July 3, 1956, Susan was a "true Marbleheader."

Susan grew up on the water, learning to sail at Marblehead's Pleon Yacht Club and sailed throughout her life. A 1974 Marblehead High School graduate, she attended Bates College for biology, but switched to major in history. Susan's introduction to Mystic Seaport Museum came when she was the first student to arrive for the first class of the Williams-Mystic program in September 1977, a collaboration between Williams College and Mystic Seaport. Susan worked in many capacities at the Museum, beginning on the Outdoor Demonstration Squad setting and furling sails on the ships and talking to hundreds of visitors on busy summer days. She enjoyed chaperoning teen groups on board the schooner Brilliant and traveling and going to sea with Williams-Mystic students. Susan noted: "These were opportunities to see the combination of the academic and experiential in action. I can't think of anything more powerful in education that influences lives and opens up dialogue and change."

As a senior administrator, Susan oversaw the building of the Schooner Amistad and its website "Exploring Amistad," the re-envisioning of Mystic Seaport Museum's north end grounds, and construction of the Thompson Exhibition Building and Collins Gallery. These projects and many others reflected her passion for museum work and for educating generations of Museum visitors. Susan considered the NEH Chairman's Award-funded "38th Voyage" of Mystic Seaport Museum's whaleship the Charles W. Morgan in 2014, to be one of the highlights of her 40-year Seaport career. In 2021, in recognition of her devotion to museum education the Museum's children's museum was re-named the Susan Stucke Funk Children's Museum.

Susan was an accomplished artist and craftsperson across several mediums, including weaving, knitting sweaters and hats for family and friends, drawing and watercolor painting. She provided leadership outside of Mystic Seaport Museum as board president to the Pine Point School, Stonington, for three years and served both on the board and six years as board chair for the New England Museum Association. Susan worked in an advocacy capacity with the American Alliance of Museums, championing issues and programs to benefit museums nationwide.

Susan was predeceased by her parents, Priscilla (Mock) and John Stucke. She is survived by James, her husband of 40 years; Arianna (Eric) and Nathaniel, her children; Axel and Bror, her grandsons; and Leslie, her sister.

A Memorial Service was held in Marblehead in February and Susan's ashes were interred at Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead.

A Celebration of Life for Susan will be held at 4 p.m. June 14, at Mystic Seaport Museum in the Clagett Boatshed. Friends and colleagues are invited to attend the celebration at the Museum; admission to the Museum will be waived for attendees beginning at 3:30 p.m. A reply of attendance is appreciated and should be sent to Jeanne.gade@mysticseaport.org. Photograph of Susan Funk - Courtesy of Mystic Seaport Museum.