Dr. Ruth Funk, a community activist and classical music lover – among many other things – passed away Friday morning at home.
In an oral history transcript on file at UNCW’s Randall Library, Ruth Funk describes her and husband Dr. Frank Funk’s plans upon their move to Wilmington.
“We came to retirement with very silly ideas,” says Funk. “We saw retirement as a time when I would do a lot of reading and gardening, Frank would begin in earnest his model train building. We would walk on the beach hours every day,” says Funk.
But it wasn’t long before the community involvement of both Dr. Funks spanned the spectrum – from Ruth’s leadership on the boards of the Chamber Music Society, Wilmington Symphony, Bellamy Mansion and WHQR – to Frank’s decadal-plus contribution to the Railroad Museum. Ruth was a passionate advocate for ARCH – the Alliance for a Regional Concert Hall. The Funks moved to Wilmington after retiring from Syracuse University, where Ruth was head of the doctoral program. Ruth had been undergoing treatment for Stage 4 cancer before passing away at her home Friday morning.
