Funkhouser Memorial
Albert Craig Funkhouser
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ALBERT C. FUNKHOUSER 1916

ANOTHER SACRIFICE
Editorial, Evansville Journal-News, June 17, 1919.

MILITARY FUNERAL FOR FUNKHOUSER
Evansville Press, June 17, 1919.

LIEUT. FUNKHOUSER TO BE BURIED TOMORROW
Evansville Courier, June 18, 1919.

ATTORNEYS HONOR LIEUT. FUNKHOUSER
Evansville Journal-News, June 18, 1919.

FUNKHOUSER FUNERAL AT BAYARD PARK M. E.
Evansville Journal-News, June 18, 1919.

WOULD NAME LEGION POST "FUNKHOUSER"
Evansville Press, June 18, 1919.

FUNKHOUSER FUNERAL WILL BE HELD TODAY
Evansville Courier, June 19, 1919.

LOSE TWO SONS IN WAR
Corydon (Ind.) Republican, June 19, 1919.

PAY TRIBUTE TO FUNKHOUSER
Evansville Press, June 19, 1919.

MILITARY BURIAL FOR FUNKHOUSER
Evansville Journal-News, June 19, 1919.

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LIEUT. ALBERT FUNKHOUSER
Editorial, Evansville Courier, June 17, 1919.

The heart of Evansville is, indeed, bowed with the bereaved parents of Lieut.
Albert Funkhouser, dead after a glorious career in the face of the enemy. It
is particularly bitter, that after having safely passed the perils of sea and
land he, the second of two promising sons, should be taken literally from under
the care of his mother and father.

The Courier joins with sorrowing fellow-citizens in proud mourning for our dead hero.

Albert Funkhouser followed his soldier brother with a high heart and noble
singleness of purpose into that bourne from which there is no return. Let the
glory of their passing in some measure lighten the burden of his parents that,
indeed, is greater than human strength can bear.

He gave and in His wisdom has demanded again. Would that it be given to each of
us to meet our Maker in the same righteous panoply of a duty done.

ANOTHER SACRIFICE
Editorial, Evansville Journal-News, June 17, 1919.

Evansville has made another sacrifice of its young manhood to the God of War.

A loving mother and father have given up a second son in their country's behalf.

After braving the terrors of the German machine guns, after plunging forward
through the roar and hell of artillery bombardment, after escaping death upon
the battlefield, Lieut. Albert C. Funkhouser is no more. He died upon the very
eve of his return to his home and friends in a hospital at Newport News, of
pneumonia, after serving almost a year in France.

His death threw a pall of gloom over the city. There never was a more popular
young man lived in Evansville than Albert Funkhouser. He had a winning smile and
magnetic manner that drew his friends to him.

Lieut. Funkhouser was a good soldier. This is the highest compliment that can
be paid any person in the service of his country. He was uncomplaining,
self-sacrificing and thought of the men in the ranks first and himself afterwards.
The writer had the pleasure of serving with Lieut. Funkhouser for many months.
Although he came out of civilian life and entered the army as a private, he
"played the game" from the very start. There was no task too disagreeable nor
was there any duty too arduous that Lieut. Funkhouser did not willingly perform.

The whole city of Evansville sympathizes with the parents of Lieut. Funkhouser,
who have already sacrificed another son, killed by a German machine gun bullet
in the Argonne forests of France. They have more than done their share that Old
Glory shall continue to wave.

MILITARY FUNERAL FOR FUNKHOUSER
Evansville Press, June 17, 1919.

The body of Lieut. Albert C. Funkhouser, son of Attorney and Mrs. Albert W.
Funkhouser, who died of pneumonia at Newport News, Va., Sunday night, will
arrive in Evansville some time Wednesday, relatives Tuesday learned.

The young officer's parents and uncle, Attorney Arthur F. Funkhouser, are
accompanying the body home.

A military funeral will be arranged.

A meeting of the Bar Association for Thursday at 9 A.M., to express sentiments
of sympathy to the Funkhouser family, was called Tuesday by President Walton M.
Wheeler. Attorneys will assemble in the Superior Court room.

LIEUT. FUNKHOUSER TO BE BURIED TOMORROW
Evansville Courier, June 18, 1919.

Body of Army Man Who Died in the
East Due to Reach Here Today

The body of Lieut. Albert C. Funkhouser, whose death occurred at the Army
hospital at Newport News, Va., will be brought here this morning. Accompanying
the body are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Funkhouser, and an uncle,
Arthur F. Funkhouser.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning at the
residence, 920 Washington Avenue. Dr. J. Ed Murr of the Bayard Park Church will
officiate, assisted by Dr. C. C. Edwards of Boonville, formerly of the Bayard
Park Church. Lieut. Funkhouser was a Sunday School pupil of Dr. Edwards.

A military funeral will be held. Noble Johnson, president of the local post of
the American Legion, has asked all ex service men to meet at 9 o'clock tomorrow
morning at the Service Club, Second and Locust Streets, in uniform to attend.
Burial will take place in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Among Lieut. Funkhouser's uncles who are expected from out of town are Frank
Tyner, Westport, Ind.; Hugh C. Funkhouser, Indianapolis, and Dr. Will H.
Funkhouser of Madison.

ATTORNEYS HONOR LIEUT. FUNKHOUSER
Evansville Journal-News, June 18, 1919.

Ask County Commissioners to Fly Flag at Half Mast;
Hang Memorial Scroll

Honoring the memory of the late Lieut. Albert C. Funkhouser, members of the
Vanderburgh County Bar Association met at 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon and
adopted resolutions, which were ordered spread on the minutes of the courts.

A resolution which was also adopted orders that a scroll with the names of those
members of the Vanderburgh County Bar who served in the World War be engrossed
and hung in the Circuit Court room, and a gold star be placed opposite the names
of those who died in service.

The county commissioners were asked to fly the American flag at half-mast
Thursday, the day of the burial of Lieut. Funkhouser, who was a member of the
Vanderburgh County Bar.

FUNKHOUSER FUNERAL AT BAYARD PARK M. E.
Evansville Journal-News, June 18, 1919.

Funeral services for Lieut. Albert C. Funkhouser, whose death occurred in
Newport News Monday, will be held at 10 o'clock Thursday morning, according to
an announcement made by the family Wednesday. Owing to the fact that a military
funeral is planned, services will be conducted at Bayard Park M. E. Church, with
Rev. C. C. Edwards, the former pastor, in attendance. The earlier announcement
declared the funeral services would be held at the home.

The body of the young officer, accompanied by his parents and uncle, arrived at
8 o'clock Wednesday morning and was taken to the Funkhouser home, 920 Washington
Avenue. Interment will be at Oak Hill Cemetery.

President Noble Johnson and Secretary Paul Schmidt of the local chapter of the
American Legion have issued a call to the service men of the city to attend the
funeral of Lieut. Funkhouser. Men of all branches are requested to wear their
full uniforms, former sailors to wear white with white leggings.

WOULD NAME LEGION POST "FUNKHOUSER"
Evansville Press, June 18, 1919.

The death of the second Funkhouser son has given an impetus to the plan already
favored for the naming of the Evansville post of the American Legion the
"Funkhouser Post." A number of names were being considered by the committee,
headed by Morris Levi, but it was understood the Funkhouser name was most favored.

In naming the post the Funkhouser chapter, a triple recognition would be paid
the family first, in honor of their son. Lieut. Paul Funkhouser, killed in
action in the Argonne drive; second, the death of their only remaining son,
Lieut. Albert; and third, in recognition of the patriotic work of the boys'
father, Attorney Albert W. Funkhouser.

The body of the young officer arrived in the city at 8 A.M. Wednesday,
accompanied by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Funkhouser, and his uncle,
Arthur F. Funkhouser. It was taken to the home on Washington Avenue, where
crowds of friends thronged the house all day and until late in the evening.

The military funeral will be held Thursday. Funeral services will be held at
10 A.M. Thursday at the Bayard Park M. E. Church, Rev. C. C. Edwards, former
pastor of the church and Sunday School teacher of the young officer, officiating.

Members of the American Legion have been asked by their president, Noble
Johnson, to meet at the Service Club at 9 A.M. Thursday to attend the funeral
in a body. Members are asked to wear their uniforms, all sailors to wear their
"whites."

Frank Tyner of Westport, Ind.; Hugh Funkhouser of Indianapolis, and Dr. Will
Funkhouser of Madison, uncles of the young lieutenant, were here for the
funeral.

The Evansville Bar Association assembled in Superior Court room at 2 P.M.,
Wednesday, to do honor to their departed fellow-member and his father, Attorney
A. W. Funkhouser. Several attorneys are booked to make speeches.

The committee in charge of the resolution presented for approval consisted of
Judges E. Q. Lockyear and F. M. Hostetter.

FUNKHOUSER FUNERAL WILL BE HELD TODAY
Evansville Courier, June 19, 1919.

Services for Army Man Will Be Conducted at the Bayard Park M. E. Church

Funeral services for Lieut. Albert C. Funkhouser will be held at 10 o'clock this
morning at the Bayard Park M. E. Church. The funeral will he marked for its
military honors.

All ex-service men are asked to meet promptly at 9 o'clock at the Service Club
to march to the church. The body of the young soldier was brought here yesterday
morning and taken to the family home, 920 Washington Avenue.

It was first planned to hold the services at the home. Rev. Dr. C. C. Edwards,
Boonville, formerly of the Bayard Park Church, will be in charge and will be
assisted by Rev. J. Ed Murr, the pastor.

Pallbearers will all be service men. They are: Roy Foster, John H. McNeely, Bert
Horn, Val Nolan, Walter Weber and Louis Legler.

Adopt Resolutions

The Bar Association met at Superior Court room yesterday afternoon to pay
respects to the memory of Lieut. Funkhouser, a departed member and friend.
Resolutions of sympathy signed by F. M. Hostetter, Elmer Q. Lockyear, Frank C.
Gore, Arthur C. Stone and Val Nolan were passed. It was resolved that a scroll
be engrossed, framed and hung in the Superior Court room, containing the names
of all the members of the Bar who served their country during the war and that a
gold star be placed opposite the name of those who died in the service.

At the suggestion of the Bar Association, the court house flag will fly at
half-mast today, the day of the funeral.

Speeches were made by several members of the Bar, including President Walton M.
Wheeler, Judge E. Q. Lockyear, Judge Philip Gould, Henry T. Hardin, Judge J. E.
Williamson, John W. Spencer, Jr., and Val Nolan who were schoolmates of the dead
soldier. Judge Gould said Funkhouser would have been made deputy prosecuting
attorney under George D. Heilman. His schoolmates told in choked voices Albert's
characteristics of making friends and of being a loyal, likeable, young, and
promising attorney.

LOSE TWO SONS IN WAR
Corydon (Ind.) Republican, June 19, 1919.

Second Son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. Funkhouser Dies

The following dispatch bears sad news to the relatives and friends of Mr. and
Mrs. Albert W. Funkhouser in Harrison County. Mr. Funkhouser, who is a native of
this county, was formerly prosecuting attorney of this circuit:

Evansville, Ind., June 16. Lieut. Albert C. Funkhouser, 26 years old, son of
Albert W. Funkhouser, formerly city attorney of Evansville, died today at the
Army hospital at Newport News. He was the second and only surviving son of Mr.
and Mrs. Funkhouser to give his life for his country. Their younger son, Lieut.
Paul Funkhouser, was killed in action in France, Oct. 20, 1918. The parents
expect to have his body brought here, and the two brothers will sleep side by
side in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Lieut. Albert C. Funkhouser arrived at Newport News a week ago. His parents were
with him when he died. Lieut. Funkhouser was in Company F, 144th Infantry, 36th
Division, and participated in several of the fiercest battles in the World War.
He was a graduate of De Pauw University and was associated with his father in
the practice of law before entering military service.

Besides his parents, he is survived by two sisters, one of which will be
graduated from the local high school this week. In the Fall of 1916 Lieut.
Funkhouser was the Republican nominee for state representative from Vanderburgh
County.

PAY TRIBUTE TO FUNKHOUSER
Evansville Press, June 19, 1919.

Throngs at Church and Grave Also Honor Mother Who Bears
Up at Funeral of Second Son to Die in War

Hundreds came to the Bayard Park M. E. Church Thursday morning to pay tribute to
an American soldier, Lieut. Albert C. Funkhouser, who gave his life for his
country. They went away from the grave at Oak Hill Cemetery paying tribute to
the mother of this soldier the mother who bore bravely the giving of her second
and last son to her country.

All eyes were turned upon the little family group standing in back of the open
grave at Oak Hill Cemetery, as the military funeral procession headed by a
firing squad and a bearer of the colors in mourning rounded the curve and
stopped. Holding on to the arms of her husband and daughter, Mrs. Albert W.
Funkhouser, the mother, forced tears back from her eyes and watched the
flag-draped casket carried to the grave. She proudly held up her head as the flags
were removed from the white casket and it slowly descended into the grave.

Friends Weep

Not until the first volley of shots were sent out over the grave by the firing
squad, did the mother show signs of breaking. She held up heroically, bravely
until the end, until taps had been sounded, then she leaned against her
husband's shoulder and wept, as hundreds of relatives and friends had done all
through the service.

Former service men, heretofore hesitant to appear in uniforms for parades and
celebrations, gladly donned their khaki and blue to honor their dead comrade.

Flag at Head

Heading the procession which made its way from Bayard Park Church to Oak Hill
Cemetery a little before noon Thursday was the color bearer in khaki followed by
two color guards in sailor's "blues."

Next came the firing squad of eight under command of Lieut. Morris R. Levi.
Other former service men marched in rank formation.

Walking on either side of the hearse were the six pall bearers. Lieut. Val
Nolan, Capt. John McNeely and Lieuts. Bert Horn, Roy Foster, Walter Weber and
Louis Legler. Automobiles numbering into scores followed the family car in the
procession.

Church Filled

College and fraternity friends both of the young officer and his father, law
associates of the father and uncle, club friends of the mother and father,
friends of the two sisters, besides the scores of service men filled the church
and Sunday School rooms. Many had to be turned away, and many stood in the
vestibules, close enough to hear but not to see. The long line of friends which
slowly wound its way down the church isle to see the body of young Funkhouser
moved continuously by the casket for nearly half an hour.

Lieut. Funkhouser's body was clad in his overseas first lieutenant's uniform,
his overseas cap with its silver bar held in one hand.

Many Flowers

The casket stood just below the altar filled with flowers, which including an
emblem of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity of which Funkhouser was a member. A
large national emblem of red, white and blue roses and carnations, and an emblem
bearing a lieutenant's bar which was sent by the Columbian Literary Society, of
which the parents are members, were especially noticeable among the numerous
wreaths, emblems, baskets and huge bouquets of all kinds and colors of flowers
sent by friends of the family.

Just at the right of the altar hung the church service flag with its gold star,
added for the young officer. At the side of the new star was the only other gold
star of the thirty-four on the flag, representing Albert's brother, Lieut. Paul,
killed in the Argonne drive.

Foresaw Death

That young Funkhouser knew he was going to die and predicted almost exactly the
hour of his death, was the subject of the impromptu obituary by Rev. J. Ed Murr.

"Lieut. Funkhouser was conscious and was eagerly awaiting his parents when they
came to his bedside," said Rev. Murr.

"Soldier that he was, he fought until the end, knowing all the time he was
fighting a losing battle."

Lieut. Funkhouser before his death told his parents how he had his brother
Paul's body placed in a metal casket and gave them directions for bringing his
brother's body home.

Acting Captain

He also told them that he fought in the Argonne drive when Paul was killed. He
told them the story of how, when his captain was killed, he took charge of the
men and led them on.

Rev. C. C. Edwards of Boonville, former Sunday School teacher of Funkhouser,
felt too deeply the young man's death to preach a sermon, he said.

"Why Albert used to call me 'Daddy Edwards,'" he explained in telling why he
felt like joining the family in their grief. He paid high tribute to the parents
of the young man and to their sacrifice.

Mrs. E. E. Hoskinson sang "Some Day We'll Understand" and "Some Sweet Day."

MILITARY BURIAL FOR FUNKHOUSER
Evansville Journal-News, June 19, 1919.

Solemn Service Over Remains of Officer at Bayard Park Church

Civic as well as military honor was paid the memory of Lieut. Albert C.
Funkhouser at his funeral at Bayard Park Church, Thursday morning. The church
was filled with friends and to accommodate those who came it was necessary to
throw open the large Sunday School rooms that adjoin. Men of prominence, members
of the Bar Association, and many soldiers and sailors, together with a great
number of women, attended.

Two gold stars in the center of the service flag of the church, which contained
thirty-two other blue stars, represented the sacrifice of the two brothers, Paul
and Albert Funkhouser.

Fifty or more service men of all grades and representing every service in
defense of the country followed the flag-draped casket into the church, which
was preceded by Dr. C. C. Edwards of Boonville, who came to minister comfort to
the family be cause he had been pastor of the church when Albert was a member of
the Sunday School.

Reads Same Service

There then filed to the right of the auditorium the firing squad, led by Maj.
Pond of the army recruiting station. They stood at attention as they came to a
halt.

The funeral march was played upon the organ by Miss Martha DeBruler as the
cortege entered the church, and there was a deep hush as the last notes died
away. Mrs. Eldon E. Hoskinson sang "Some Day We Will Understand," and
Rev. J. E. Murr, pastor of the church, arose to begin a service that was filled with
emotion. He read the same lesson from Holy Writ he had read at the memorial
service for the brother, Paul Funkhouser, saying it was most fitting that it
should be repeated at this time: "Let not your hearts be troubled. If ye believe
in My Father, believe also in Me. I go to prepare a place for you. In My
Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so I would not have told you."
Rev. Murr followed the reading of the lesson by a touching prayer designed to
assuage the grief of the gather and mother and the two sisters, who had been
plunged for a second time into the depths of human bereavement.

Touching Sermon

In his remarks, Dr. Edwards said that there are times when human speech is
inadequate to express human emotion. He declared that he felt as one who should
be with the sorrowing family rather than to occupy the place that had been
chosen for him. He called attention to the two gold stars on the service flag,
and the strange fatality that had come to a single family, and that all the
others had been spared. Two of the stars represented two of his own sons who
had been spared. He knew, he said, what it meant to say to two boys, "Your
country needs you; go, and God bless you." But no one can understand what this
father and mother are passing through. He recounted the noble sacrifice of the
brothers and how that they had merited the great reward that was sure to come to
them in the eternal life.

Dr. Murr spoke tenderly of the affliction of the parents and in glowing praise
of the two sons who had gone forth to war and had laid down their lives that
others might have life more abundantly.

Following the services at the church, the cortege moved to Oak Hill Cemetery,
where the interment took place with all the military honors accorded a soldier,
with taps following the firing squad.

The pallbearers selected were Capt. John H. McNeely, Lieut. Roy Foster, Bert
Horn, Lieut. Val Nolan, Walter Weber and Lieut. Legler.

Source:
Funkhouser Memorial
c. 1920
pp. 40-58

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Christopher D. Myers
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September 14, 2000