SHARYN RUTH FUNK

Sharyn Ruth (Johnston) Funk, beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, niece, and friend, passed away on September 30th at the St. Boniface palliative care unit after an 18 month struggle with pancreatic cancer.  Sharyn faced her diagnosis the same way she lived her life - with courage, strength in her faith and a contagious positive attitude.  She was predeceased by her father, Ken.  She is survived by her husband Paul, mother Roena, sister Bev, son Dustin along with his wife Lauren and sons Lincoln and Lane, and daughter Shanda, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and an overwhelming amount of friends.

Sharyn was born on June 22, 1949, at the Grace Hospital to Ken and Roena Johnston. She was a little sister to Beverly Sheryl. They lived in a small house on Ebby Ave for several years, then moved to a house at 143 Clare Ave, where she lived until she left home.

She attended Ashland and Riverview elementary schools and Churchill high school. All the while, she and her family were active members at their church, Calvary Temple.

After high school, Sharyn took a course to become a dental assistant. She worked in that field for a short while until she felt led to attend Bible College in Saskatoon. There she created many new friendships that have lasted to this day.

It was also there that she met her husband, Paul. They were married on Aug 21, 1971, and settled back in Winnipeg. Both Paul & Sharyn became very active in the life of their church.  Paul and Sharyn were married 48 years this past August.  Anyone who knew Sharyn knew that she and Paul were the perfect pair. Sharyn was an easy fit into the Funk Family.  She loved attending the Funk Reunions and especially enjoyed the time spent with her sisters-in-law.

One day, they surprised everyone when little Dustin Robert Paul was adopted into their family. No one but Sharyn’s mom knew they were adopting, and Sharyn beamed with pride as she showed off her new baby boy to friends and family.  Then two and a half years later, they welcomed Shanda Jenelle into their family, also by adoption.  Sharyn was so proud of her children.

While raising her children, Sharyn had several part-time jobs in drapery and upholstery sales, as well as a job as a salesperson for a food broker, representing companies like Lindt chocolate.  This was a favourite job of the family since Sharyn always brought lots of samples home to share.

Sharyn loved being a mother.  Her children remember her thoughtfulness for even the little details in their lives, and for making both normal moments and holidays special. Sharyn and Paul had additional challenge in parenting a special-needs child, but Sharyn was always the greatest advocate for Shanda and displayed amazing patience and perseverance in this task. 

Sharyn’s joy in her family grew even more when it expanded to include daughter-in-law Lauren, and then her two grandsons, Lincoln and Lane.  Lauren and Sharyn were fast friends and always enjoyed spending time together – not something typical for being in-laws! Being a grandmother was also one of the greatest joys of Sharyn’s life and she saw her grandboys every chance she could.  She babysat thousands of hours, had them for hundreds of sleepovers, and they adored her as a grandma.  Her influence in their lives is priceless and they have gained so much simply by being around her so often.

Sharyn set a remarkable example of what it means to serve others.  She truly gave her life away to her friends, her family, and her church – there was hardly a day when she wasn’t doing something for someone else.  She made everyone feel like they were her best friend and was never too busy if someone was in need.  She was involved in running girls club at Calvary Temple, and then the Women’s Prayer, hospital visitation, life groups and 55+ ministries at Oasis, along with so many informal volunteer roles. She believed so strongly in the vision of the local church and inspiring people to follow Jesus. Her many hours of serving were invaluable in building the community at Oasis Church.

Thank you all the physicians and health care professionals who helped Sharyn in her illness.  Special gratitude is extended to the staff at St. Boniface palliative ward for their care in the last days of Sharyn’s life.

Our hearts are missing a big piece, but we have so many great memories of Sharyn and our lives are so much richer and are filled with so much joy for having been loved by her.  And we also know this is not the end of the story, but that one day, we will see her again because of Sharyn’s faith in Jesus Christ.

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A memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 4, 2019 at Oasis Church, 940 Elmhurst Road.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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