Joyce Funderburk

Much loved daddy, grandad, great granddad and uncle moseyed off April 17, 2017 to join his wife Lil and special pups, Andy and Punkin. J.O. Funderburk was born October 10, 1920 in Estelline, Texas to Maude (Billingsley) and Warren Funderburk the youngest of four children.

As a very young man, J.O. worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps until determining the Army was a better option. After training at Ft. Bliss, he was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, 8th Cavalry Regiment Special Weapons Troop. During the early days of his Cavalry tenure, horses were still in use. In July of 1941, he transferred to the Army Air Corps and was assigned to the 14th Pursuit Group. He was in California when Pearl Harbor was attacked and related that they were on high alert as they anticipated the attack to continue on to California. In 1942, he was assigned to the 78th Fighter Group in Europe where he was stationed outside of London. While in Europe, he transferred to the headquarters of the 8th Fighter Command until 1943 when he was accepted into the Aviation Cadets. After completing training at Penn State University, he attended navigational school and began flight training in California followed by two additional schools at the Las Vegas Gunnery school and Selma Navigation school. He finished his career at Lincoln, Nebraska in 1945 awaiting deployment orders with the B-29 Aircraft Squadron when World War II ended. His service was honored in 2014 by participating in the inaugural Permian Basin Honor Flight. As with many of his generation, he was surprised at being thanked for his service but truly loved every minute of this very special event.

Following his military service, J.O. worked for Phillips Petroleum Company. He worked in various locations in Texas including Corpus Christi, Rockport and Ft. Stockton. J.O. retired from Phillips in 1983.

J.O. married Lil (Lillie Barham) July 5, 1947 in Ft. Worth Texas enjoying 56 joyful years of marriage until her death in 2003. They had two daughters, Debbie (Siegmund) and Patty (Eshom) and throughout the years enjoyed traveling, camping and golf. They were always active in a Baptist church with his final membership in First Baptist Church, Ft. Stockton, Texas. In retirement, J.O. and Lil enjoyed many years of RV travel in the company of friends and family as they visited almost every state - travels that included pulling the trailer from Texas up the ALCAN Highway.

J.O. is survived by daughters Debbie Siegmund (husband Eric), Patty Eshom,, grandchildren Rachel Eshom, Captain Adam Eshom (wife Laura), great grandchildren Lillie and Joshua Matile and many much loved nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was pre-deceased by wife Lil in 2003, great grandson Mario Matile in 2008 and a host of beloved relatives.

J.O. loved life, a good joke, children, animals and the mountains of Colorado. He was a man of faith and charity. In his memory, please tell a good joke, tease someone you love or love on a small child or pet.

A graveside service will be held at East Hill Cemetery in Ft. Stockton, Texas Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. If you are so inclined, memorial gifts may be made to the Permian Basin Honor Flight or the West Texas Food Bank.

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