Elaine L. Funk, 63, of Sauk Centre, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, after four years of courageously and privately battling cancer, Dec. 21, 2024, at her home in Sauk Centre.
Per Elaine’s request, a celebration of life will be held in the summer of 2025.
Elaine Leona Kunstleben was born Dec. 18, 1961, in Melrose, Minnesota to Claude and Agatha (Statz) Kunstleben. She graduated from Albany High School in 1980. She moved to Minneapolis to work security for Donaldson’s and then at Target. She was united in marriage to Francis “Fran” Funk in 1982. In 1993, they moved to Sauk Centre where Elaine helped open and worked at the Target store in Alexandria. She worked for Target for 27 years and retired after working for seven years at Encore in St. Cloud.
She was a member of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. Elaine was an active cyclist and enjoyed golf and wine with her ladies. She was incredibly gifted in making dry floral arrangements and decorating. Elaine loved traveling with Fran, family and her friends. Outside of Fran, her truest love and joy came from hugging and kissing her grandbabies. Family was the most important thing to Elaine.
Survivors include her husband, Fran Funk, of Sauk Centre; children Danelle (Eric) Kline of Elko, Kaitlyn (Ryan) Funk of Louisville, Kentucky, Micala (Zach) Wolbeck of Sauk Centre, William (Kalli) Funk of Belgrade, Charles Funk of Alexandria and Bernie Funk of Sauk Centre; eight grandchildren Oliver, Harrison, Bennett, Aiden, Savannah, Porter, Easton and Thea; brothers and sisters Diane (Jerry) Hoppe of St. Cloud, Mary Hoppe of Albany, Annette (Arnie) Roering of New Munich, Jane (Loren) Niehoff of Melrose, Jeff Kunstleben of Albany, Rick “C.J.” Kunstleben of Rockville and Angie Moscho of St. Cloud; and many loving relatives and friends.
Elaine was preceded in death by her parents; mother and father-in-law Edward and Beats Funk; and brothers-in-law Alvin Hoppe, Cel Funk, Mel Kammers, Tom Ecker and Bill Phillips.
Arrangements were made with Patton-Schad Funeral and Cremation Services of Sauk Centre.
