A lifelong resident of Island and Skagit counties, Wallie Valentine Funk had a successful and prolific career in journalism and photography that spanned more than four decades. During that time, Funk co-owned, managed, edited, and published three independent newspapers: the Anacortes American, the Whidbey News-Times, and the South Whidbey Record.  Funk was also a civic leader whose personal interests mirrored the broad range of his professional interests.  His writings and photographs chronicle and preserve key events happening during his career.  Funk extensively traveled the world, documenting his experiences through tens of thousands of photographs, negatives, textual materials, and memorabilia.

Funk’s grandparents, Valentine Funk (1863-1956) and Barbara (Miltenberger) Funk (1856-1947) were German immigrants to the United States who settled in Anacortes, Washington in 1890.  They prospered in both business ventures and real estate.  One of their holdings included the historic Wilson Hotel, a three story brick icon in Anacortes.  Funk’s grandparents had two children, Wallie V. Funk, Sr. (1892-1955) and Louise Mackin (1903-1996).  After serving in the U.S. Army during World War I, Wallie V. Funk, Sr. followed in his father’s footsteps in business and investments in the Anacortes area.  He courted and married local school teacher, Irene Brown (1896-1996), in 1921.  Their union produced Wallie V. Funk (b. 1922), James (b. 1927), and Charles (1927-1987).

Wallie V. Funk graduated from Anacortes High School in 1941, but his university education was interrupted by his military service during World War II.  However, he subsequently graduated from the University of Washington, majoring in journalism, in 1948.  Funk served as President of his graduating class and received four honoraries, including one for journalism.  After obtaining his university education, Funk vacationed in Europe for seven months.  In 1950 he, along with his personal friend and fellow U.W. student John Webber, purchased the Anacortes American newspaper.  In 1954, Funk married Mary Ann Ringwell (b. 1926), also a local schoolteacher.  They had two sons, Mark (b.1955) and Carl (b. 1957).  After selling the Anacortes American in 1964, Funk and Weber purchased the Whidbey News-Times and the South Whidbey Record on Whidbey Island.  They jointly owned, published, and operated these newspapers until 1989.

Funks’ first editorial in the Anacortes American was a front page plea to his fellow citizens for help in preserving local history.  He asked that old photographs be brought to the American for publication.  This was the beginning of both a seven year local project and of Funk’s massive history collection.  In 1954, he added significantly to his personal archives.  Ferd Brady, a well-known and respected local photographer, retired after a twenty five year career in Anacortes.  Brady loaded a truck full of negatives for a one way trip to the local dump.  Funk quickly offered Brady twenty five dollars for the lot, and Brady agreed. 

Funk’s personal photographic efforts are prolific.  The images he captured in his candid camera are eclectic.  Just a small sampling includes six U.S. Presidents, orca whales, a varied array of sporting events, landscapes, high school graduations, military events, performing arts productions, and birthing room photos of the 1967 Whidbey Naval Air Station New Year’s baby.

Funk’s activity in his community included a wide range of interests.  A complete list of civic organizations in which he was involved is too lengthy for this note, however, a short list includes: the Navy League (Oak Harbor Council President, Washington State President and National Director), the Washington Newspaper Publisher's Association, Washington State trade missions (China in 1980, the Middle East in 1983, and Thailand in 1985), the Washington State Arts Commission, the Anacortes Community Theater, the Whidbey Playhouse, Skagit County Pioneer Association, the Museum of Northwest Art, and the Anacortes Museum.

During his retirement, Funk continued to document the history of his community, writing articles through 2001, and taking photographs up until 2002. Wallie V. Funk presently lives near Anacortes on Fidalgo Island.

References:

Anacortes American. 21 January 2004.

Trebon, Theresa L. First Views: An Early History of Skagit County, 1850-1899, (Mount Vernon, Washington: Skagit Valley Herald, 2002).

Wallie V. Funk Timeline, Trebon, Theresa L. (Sedro Wooley, WA: Continuum History and Research, 2004).