Funk, Charlotte (1955-1962)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1962 Sep 6 p. 3

Birth date: 1955

text of obituary:

Fire Tragedy Involves Former Residents of Corn, Oklahoma

A recent home fire which claimed the lives of six children at Clovis, Calif. involved a former Corn, Okla. family, according to information given in the “Washita County Enterprise,” weekly paper published at Corn.

All six children of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Funk died of suffocation when their new suburban home near Fresno caught fire during the night. Mr. Funk is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam J. Funk, former residents of the Corn community now residing in Fresno.

Ben Funk, 32, a cabinet maker, reported that his wife Betty, 28, awakened him about 1:30 a.m. and called “Fire!” He jumped through a bedroom window, shattering the glass, and pulled his wife after him. She suffered a broken ankle.

Mr. Funk and others who attempted to enter the house to save the children were turned back by the smoke and intense heat.

The children were Dennis, 9; Howard, 8; Charlotte, 7; Shirley, 6; John, 3; and Deborah, 21 months.