Feb 16, 2010

Amos Funk Dies

Amos H. Funk, a farm preservationist of national stature, died Sunday at Lancaster Regional Medical Center. A Lancaster resident, he formerly lived in Millersville. He was 98.

Funk was a member of Gov. William Scranton’s Committee on Agriculture and of Governor Raymond Shafer’s Committee on the Preservation of Agricultural Land. He also was appointed by Govs. Scranton, Shafer, Richard Thornburgh and Robert Casey to serve on the Pennsylvania Soil and Water Conservation Commission.

In 1974, Funk was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to serve on the 18-member National Advisory Committee to the U.S. Soil Conservation Service.

“We all mourn the passing of the pioneer of Lancaster farmland preservation,” said Gene Garber, chairman of the Lancaster County Ag Preserve Board. “Lancaster County owes a lot to Amos and his leadership in conservation and preservation. Without his leadership, guidance and direction, we probably would not have a farmland preservation program.”

Karen Martynick, executive director of Lancaster Farmland Trust, said the farmland trust had just received a letter two weeks ago that Funk was to receive the Lifetime Conservation Leadership Award from the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association.

“We wanted to deliver it to him and were just making arrangements,” Martynick said. “It’s a sad, sad day.”

Martynick said most Lancaster County residents “didn’t know Amos and what he did, but are impacted by his actions every day. He was a quiet man who believed so deeply in the county and agriculture and doing the right thing by the land.”

Funk, she said, set the example for everybody. “Lancaster County would not be the county it is today without Amos. There is 86,000 acres of preserved farmland because of his vision and foresight,” Martynick said. Lancaster Farmland Trust also would not exist without Funk, she said, because he started the organization through his “tenacious, relentless pursuit of his vision and his ability to convince people (of its worth) when everybody thought he was crazy.”

Besides his other preservation work, Funk served as president of the Pennsylvania Soil and Water Conservation District Directors Inc. and for 17 years as president of Conestoga Valley Watershed Conservation District.

He also served as president of Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association, Pennsylvania Horticultural Council and Pennsylvania State University Agricultural Advisory Council.

Funk majored in economics at Pennsylvania State University. He was associated with his son in growing and retailing fruits and vegetables on the 237-acre farm where he was born. Among his numerous awards, Funk received the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Award given by President Bush in 1990 and the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Hall of Fame Award for lifelong achievements and dedicated service protecting Pennsylvania’s natural resources in 1996.

Born in Millersville, he was the son of the late A. Herr and Nellie Eshleman Funk.

Surviving in addition to his wife are three daughters, Grace F., wife of James C. Wardrop of Dover, Anna Mae of Atlanta and June M., wife of George Bianchi of Westcliffe, Colo.; three sons, Amos H. Jr., husband of Carol Funk of Milton, Fla., Andrew M. of Virginia Beach, Va., and Frederick A., husband of Jacqueline Funk of Willow Street; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandson.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Grace United Methodist Church, 163 W. Frederick St., Millersville. Viewing will be held at the church from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday and 9 to 11 a.m. Friday.