Burton Lee Funkhouser

September 26, 1926 - September 08, 2014

FUNKHOUSER, Burton Lee (age 87) Burton died peacefully on September 8th, 2014 at Pine Ridge Care Center in Spokane, WA. He was born in Camas, WA on September 26, 1926, to Roscoe and Margaret Funkhouser. His younger years were spent with his parents and older brother Ray in Camas and Orofino, Idaho. Burt entered the Navy during WWII at the age of 17 and met and married his first wife, Marilyn Grende, while stationed at Farragut Naval Training Station. At the time that the war ended in Europe he was stationed in Germany as a member of the Navy River Patrol Unit. He returned to Farragut, where he was promptly sent to serve on the USS Patroclus in the Pacific Fleet and was in Tokyo Harbor to witness the Japanese surrender. Burt worked for Union Pacific RR following the war and then moved on to Fibreboard in Antioch, CA. and finally Bellevue Square until his retirement. He and his wife, Dorothy, chose to tour the United States and ended up in Florida for a number of years prior to returning to Washington State. They lived in Chehalis until a flood took their home, at which time they moved to Spokane. Throughout his adult years he devoted his personal time to being father to his many children, while also finding time to go on â??adventuresâ? with his older brother Ray. His military influence was great as shown by three children, Robert (son-Army-Airborne), Fred (foster son-Navy), and Roberta McVicker (daughter-Air Force), serving, as well as grandchildren Mark (Navy), Michelle (Navy), Heidi (Coast Guard), Benjamin (Navy), and Stephanie (Navy). He loved fishing with family and friends and was a proud member of the Inland Empire Fly Fishing Club. Burt will always be remembered for his kind heart and his desire to serve others, as well as his sense of humor and his dancing through life. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Dorothy, his brother, Ray, and his step-daughter, Dorene. He is survived by his three sons, Robert (Julie), Lee (Anita), and Duane, his daughter Roberta McVicker (Steve), his step-daughters, Pam Sigrist (Bob), Karen Hunter (John), Stacy Borja (Romy), his step-son, Robbie, 17 grand-children and 22 great grandchildren. Our family would like to express our appreciation to the staff at Sullivan Park Assisted Living and Pine Ridge Care Center for the fine care he received in his last years and to Horizon Hospice for his care in his final days. In addition our thanks go out to Dr. Beverly Parker and the staff at the VA Hospital. Services will be held at Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, WA on September 26, 2014 at 1:30PM. An informal reception will be held, following the memorial service, at East Valley Baptist Church in Spokane Valley. Community Cremation & Funeral Spokane Valley 13127 E. Sprague Ave, Spokane Valley, WA 99216, (509)926-2020 Communitycremationandfuneral.com