Funkhouser Memorial
Albert Craig Funkhouser
[Home]
Page 1 - Page 2
Back to the Albert Craig Funkhouser Page
DR. ADAH M'MAHAN, Lafayette, Ind.
I want to send to you two bereaved parents my very deepest sympathy as well as
reverence. You have given a priceless gift, as did those two dear sons of yours.
I have just learned of your double sorrow and I want to weep with you. How proud
you can be in their manhood! Someday I hope, Alta, I can talk with you and tell
you how very proud I was of our "American boys" over there in France.
I met your boy's cousin at one of the base hospitals and learned that Albert was
in France but never met him, to know him.
If you can come up someday, won't you do so? * * *
Thirty years ago and we were just beginning life, and now we are seeing the
journey's road just around the corner. I wish I were nearer and could tell you
again, how very dear and sweet young Albert Funkhouser's (first lieutenant
United States Army) mother was in those days of 1889, and I am sure the father
of the boys thought so too.
The tasks and cares have come back since my return, but I am so happy to be back
home again in Indiana.
Take good care of yourselves. I know the two "gold stars" will enrich your lives
though you see them poverished now. * * *
MR. SHELDON C. MALONE, Tampa, Fla.
The heart-breaking news reached me this morning. I have refused to believe it
could happen; and Oh, why should death come to him! I can't understand. And I am
denied a chance to look upon him again on this earth. Why, folks, I thought more
of Albert than I can tell you. It has been my dream to see him go high in the
affairs of our Nation.
I can't write anymore now. How I wish I could be there with you. May God bless
and help you.
I want to ask now though that you give me one of his pictures. I will value it
more than anything I have.
I can't write as I feel my emotions are too strong for any words of mine. I
cannot even comfort you as I knew only grief and sorrow. The only bright spot to
me is that I loved him that no one ever displaced his place in my heart. He won
it as a boy and I have treasured it as a man. Nor do I believe that I will ever
know the men that can fill that place which was the living Albert's for Albert
the dead will remain enshrined a beautiful memory which will never die.
Circumstances prevented me from being close to Albert, but, folks, I never
dreamed a dream of good fortune that he did not share it. I never thought of
great happiness that he did not have his place in it. Wherever my home shall be
there will be Albert's picture, but in my heart there shall be a picture that no
human hands could describe; it is that dearest of all things a friend.
I could not reach home in time to see him. I did not send a wreath but when I
come home again I shall place my flowers upon his grave and offer up the prayer
of a friend.
MRS. ELINOR A. MARKEL, Washington, Ind.
I feel that I want you to know that I am grieving with you today, with your
hosts of other friends. I wish it were possible to write some word that might
lighten your sorrow, but fully realizing that this is impossible I can only
sorrow with you. I knew Albert better than your other children, and cared for
him.
We were proud of Paul and are proud of Albert, and after a time the heroic
passing of these two dear boys may to some extent soften the blow. I pray it may
be so.
To both of you, to Alta, to Ruth and to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur, I can only say I am
thinking of you all and grieving with you today.
MR. AND MRS. W. A. MARQUA, Cincinnati
When I left you at Portsmouth on your way to Newport News, I felt your sorrow so
keenly. I told Mrs. Marqua about my meeting you and we both prayed and hoped for
your son.
What shall I say to assuage your grief? Words are some. times painful even in
sympathy. We are saddened we wish we could help. All I can say is we are thinking
of you.
Mrs. Funkhouser seems such a dear mother and my heart goes out to her. * * *
MRS. ROBERT G. MILLER, Bloomington, Ind.
Since hearing of the last sad bereavement that has come to you, my thoughts have
been almost constantly with you. I did not have the pleasure of knowing your
son, Lieut. Albert Funkhouser, but knowing Paul as I did I am sure he was the
same fine type of young manhood and I know that his loss is a blow almost too
hard to be borne; but these things or other troubles come to us in life and we
wonder how we are to bear them, and if it were not far a higher power I am sure
we would fall by the wayside. I only wish I might say something to comfort you,
but words so inadequately express our thoughts at such times, but it does help
to know that we have the love and sympathy of friends. Mr. Miller wishes me to
assure you of his heartfelt sympathy. I haven't seen Henry for two weeks but I
know he feels keenly for you in this great calamity. He thinks so much of Mr.
Funkhouser and your brother Arthur; he enjoyed the visit he had with them here
and he loved Paul.
I hope we may meet again and renew our friendship. I hope your daughters are
well and I know they will be your greatest comfort. * * *
MR. AND MRS. ELMER MILLER, Owensboro, Ky.
Deepest sympathy.
MR. CHARLES D. MONTGOMERY, Atlanta, Ga.
I have just received your letter and want to thank you for your kind words and
sympathy for I know they come from a heart filled with a kindred feeling.
I visited my son (1st Lieut. Charles D. Montgomery, Jr.) while in Camp Green and
I had the pleasure of meeting your splendid boy (Paul), who by his kindness and
courtesy won my admiration, and when I saw the announcement of his death I was
pained and shocked. He and Charles were very warm friends. You have my deepest
sympathy in your double loss.
While I lost only one, I know how you feel, for we have both lost our all.
Charles was transferred from the 7th Machine Gun Battalion to the 9th Machine
Gun Battalion when they started in the St. Mihiel drive. He wrote me of his
sorrow in leaving the boys in the 7th, whom he had learned to love so well.
I am sending you a photograph of my boy, and would like one of Paul if you can
send me one. I am delighted to know the honor that has been conferred upon him
and his brother by the American Legion, naming the post at Evansville for them.
If Paul's mother is living, please extend to her my especial sympathy. Charles'
mother has been dead for several years.
God bless and comfort you.
MR. E. H. O'NEAL, Crawfordsville, Ind.
I am shocked to note in the morning paper that Albert, too, has paid the price,
and while I fear nothing I could say would alleviate your deep grief, yet, it
must be a little gratifying to know that he was another who "did his bit."
"Funkie" was a "pal" of mine and it hurts, really hurts. We don't know why, but
I guess there must be a time. Both Mrs. Funkhouser and yourself have my deepest
sympathy.
MR. CALVIN W. PRATHER, Grand Secretary F. & A. M., Indianapolis
Words fail me to express the deep sympathy in my heart for you and your good
wife in the loss of your second son, a soldier. I note in the morning paper his
death, which occurred in our own America, and that you were present at his
bedside when he went away. Rest assured, Albert, that all your friends and
especially your Masonic brethren, deeply sympathize with you in this, the second
sad bereavement you have had within the year. * * *
DR. AND MRS. M. RAVDIN Battle Creek, Mich.
Words cannot express our grief when we read in the Courier of the death of
Albert. We hasten to extend to you our sympathy in the hour of your trial and
sorrow.
May our Heavenly Father give you strength to bear the heavy burden. May He give
you peace, and comfort you.
MR. EDWARD C. ROACH, New York
* * * I have just been looking over some clippings from home, and I see about
your Albert.
I would like to say something to help, but just can't; but just let me squeeze
your hand and look into your eyes, and let me tell you the message just in
silence. God be with you till we meet again.
MRS. ROSE M. ROSE, Cannelton, Ind.
There is not one word I can say only "My heart is with you all." We (the
Shallcross family and I) have been with you all every moment while awake.
They, with me, feel all that any one can feel for you all, but we just end all
our talks about you by saying, "Isn't it too terrible?" We all just feel so sorry
and grieved and while we know, oh, so well, how very, very little that means to
broken hearts, yet we want you to know we are thinking of you.
Mr. and Mrs. Shallcross and I have so recently suffered that we feel we know
something of what it is, and the worst of all is it stays with us, and we can't
help ourselves nor others We are with you and wish we could help you. Mr. and
Mrs Shallcross join me in love to you all. May God help you.
MR. AND MRS. CHARLES H. SALM, Rockport, Ind.
May we not extend our sympathy in this, your second bereavement. We who have
passed through the trying ordeal know what you suffer. We are told that time
alone will eliminate our grief, yet it seems to us to add to the burden.
Our friends tell us what glorious deaths; what honorable sacrifices our sons
have made; though we can only remember them as our sons. I am unable to say
anything more. May God comfort you is our prayer.
MR. JAMES M. SHERRILL, New Amsterdam, Ind.
Have just heard of the death of your son, Lieut. Albert. Accept my deep sorrow
and sympathy for you and your family. I know your grief is great, to think you
have to give up an other noble son. You have this consolation: he was not afraid
to fight and die for his Country. He hastened to do his duty regardless of
consequences to himself. Words fail me to express sympathy. Let me say that no
man has a greater feeling for you than your old schoolmate. Oh, that I might
take you by the hand! It seems to me that your cup of sorrow is more than
full, one dear boy beneath the sod in France, but if it must be another, thank
God he will rest in the United States, the greatest country on God's green
earth.
May you find something that can, in a measure, help you in your grief, is the
wish and desire of your old school mate and friend.
MR. ASA J. SMITH, Wabash, Ind.
In passing through Evansville the news of Albert's death came to me.
Mr. Funkhouser, I was a Phi Delt with "Funky" at DePauw, and I am crushed to
read the tragic word.
You can find comfort in your sorrow that Albert had served his Country well and
that hosts of friends over this state will mourn for him.
Please extend my sympathy to his mother and his uncle.
Your two sons will be long remembered with honor and glory due them.
MR. CHARLES C. TENNIS, Pittsburgh, Pa.
I have learned with deep regret of the death of your son, Albert, at Newport
News, and I want to write you at once and assure you and Mrs. Funkhouser of my
sincerest sympathy in this double bereavement and added burden of sorrow, which
was already most more than you could bear. The burden is upon you and I am sure
both you and Mrs. Funkhouser will meet the terrible affliction bravely, knowing
that to be crushed would accomplish no relief. You will have to fight the battle
as your dear boys fought in the struggle for humanity.
MISS MYLA THORNBURGH, Martinsyille, Ind.
I have tried twice before to write you, but there was just nothing to say. I
only wish in some way I could ease your sorrow and take away that awful hurt.
We wonder, don't we, just why we have to give up some one so dear to us, whom we
need so, and as yet I can find no answer to my question of why? I have been
thinking of you all constantly and if any of my prayers would help, but nothing
could really, I know. It just takes courage, doesn't it? And a deep conviction
that after all our Maker knows a reason that makes it all for the best. Of
course we want them with us here on earth, but it is a consolation to know that
they have found greater things, true peace and contentment. If we can forget our
want of them and think of their new peace in the greater world, maybe that could
help just a little. * * *
MRS. LYMAN THRALL, Bone Gap, Ill.
I read in an Evansville paper about the death of your second boy and I know how
sad it is, but you have two girls, and how thankful you ought to be, for, we
too, lost two dear boys - all the children we had - and oh, our hearts are broken!
We have no home, or rather it doesn't seem like home any more just papa and myself,
all alone.
Our youngest boy, Lloyd, died at Camp Funston of "flu," and our oldest, an
aviator, was killed in France, just nineteen days later. So you can see we are
all sad, but we can live so we can meet the dear boys in Heaven. My eyes are so
full of tears I can hardly write; can't write with a pen. Write to me, please;
we are so sad.
SANFORD TRIPPET, Attorney, Princeton, Ind.
Mrs. Trippet joins with me in extending to you and Mrs. Funkhouser our sincere
sympathy for the loss of your son, an account of which we noticed in the paper
last night. Your family has certainly suffered more than its share in losses in
this awful war and you all have our sympathy in this hour of bereavement, I
assure you.
SENATOR JAMES E. WATSON, Washington, D. C.
I have no language to express the sympathy I feel for you over the loss of your
second son as the result of his sacrifice in behalf of the Country.
Surely you are entitled to and will receive the heartfelt assurances of sympathy
from all the people who learn of your great sorrow.
MRS. NANNIE E. WEBB, Parsons, Kan.
In reading a Leavensworth item in the Crawford County Democrat, Saturday, I was
so shocked and grieved to learn of the death of your dear son, at Newport News
upon the Sunday before. Also the same clipping told of you losing your other
dear boy in France, last October. So I hasten to extend my heartfelt sympathy to
you in this great sorrow. Only a mother knows the sorrow and broken hearts of
the parents. Oh, I can never tell you how sorry I am for you - my heart aches for
you. Only two years ago, the eleventh of this month, you came to see me at
Lizzie's and was telling me about your precious boys enlisting, and I saw then
how your heart was bound up in your boys and were so proud of them. I have
prayed so all during the terrible war for the mothers of the boys over
there and that He would comfort and strengthen them as only a dear loving Savior
can do. God bless and comfort you in your sorrow; and try and remember He doeth
all things well and He will never leave thee or forsake thee. Only trust him for
it all, and while you may not now say, "Thy will be done," try to do so, and
remember though they may not return to you, you can go to them. I trust you both
are well and haven't forgotten me. I have been quite ill for some time, but am
beginning to feel myself again. I couldn't keep the tears from running down my
cheek when I read about your boys, and I have remembered you in my prayers
several times and will again. Hattie, my daughter, said, "Mamma, you must write
to your friend." So I hasten to do so.
Please accept love and sympathy from your old friend.
MARGARET TRIMBLE WELLBORN, Texarkana, Tex.
My thoughts have been with you a great deal these recent days and my sympathy
goes out to you in your great sorrow. It seems that your grief is more than a
mother can bear. Would that I could do something to help you. There are so many
things in life we cannot understand. Words cannot express to you my feelings but
I send love and deepest sympathy to you and Mr. Funkhouser. May comfort come to
you as the days go by and you have the strength to bear this great grief. How
little we can do to really help you at a time like this.
JUDGE JOHN C. WORSHAM, Henderson, Ky.
I learned today for the first time of the sad death of your son Albert.
It was a great shock when I read the account of his death, as I had had no
information of his illness and thought, of course, he would soon be back with
you, in splendid health.
You and yours had given so much to your country during the war period that it
seems incomprehensible that you should have been called upon to make this
further sacrifice.
When one attempts to offer consolation in a case like this he feels how utterly
futile are mere words to express his feelings, at least I find myself in that
situation. Nevertheless, Mrs. Worsham and I want you to know that you and your
family have our deepest sympathy. We hope that the knowledge that Albert gave
his all for his country may afford you some consolation.
I never knew Paul, but had been very much impressed by Albert the few times I
had seen him, and personally feel that in his death I have lost a friend whom I
had looked forward to knowing much better in the years to come. * * *
Source:
Funkhouser Memorial
c. 1920
pp. 76-92
Back to the Albert Craig Funkhouser Page
Return to A Little Vanderburgh County History
©2000
Christopher D. Myers
All Rights Reserved
September 14, 2000