Cletus Thomas “Pinky” Funderburk, Jr (3/15/1925 – 12/06/2024)
Cletus Thomas “Pinky” Funderburk passed away peacefully on December 6 at Westminster Towers in Rock Hill, SC.
Tom Funderburk was born on March 15,1925 in Pageland, SC to Cletus Tiburtus Funderburk, Sr and Earline Stevenson Funderburk. Upon graduation from Pageland High School Tom attended The Citadel Military College in Charleston, SC for one year before enlisting in the United States Army Air Force.
As a co-pilot in World War II, Tom Funderburk flew B-17 bombers for the U.S. 8th Air Force group based out of Debach Airfield near Ipswich, UK (493rd Bomber Group, 860th Squadron). For his service he was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters, a Good Conduct Medal, a WWII Victory Medal, an American Campaign Medal, an Overseas Service Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, a Combat Service Commemorative Medal, an Army Service Commemorative Medal, an American Defense Medal, and an Honorable Service Medal. He retired as Major in the USAF Reserve. In 2019 Funderburk was presented with the French Legion of Honor, the highest order of merit bestowed by the government of France, “for his selfless service and heroic duties on a series of missions in the European theater during World War II”.
Upon returning home to the States after the war Funderburk attended Wake Forest College where he graduated in 1949. He moved to Charlotte, NC to pursue a career in sales and management, and was employed by Pump and Lighting, Inc. He married Gladys Vivian Gluck of Charlotte in June of 1949. In 1952 Tom and Vivian celebrated the birth of twins Mike and Brent and in 1957 welcomed their third son, Jeff into the family.
Known by his many friends and family as “Pinky” (nicknamed for his bright red hair), Tom Funderburk continued his career in sales in Charlotte with Carolina Controls/Mec-Tric Controls/Controls Southeast Companies, followed by Pnucor Inc., and eventually retired to River Hills in Lake Wylie/Clover, SC. He has resided at Westminster Towers in Rock Hill, SC since 2007.
Tom was an avid golfer, sports fan of Wake Forest Deacons, Carolina Panthers and Charlotte Hornets, bridge player, and pilot. He and Vivian loved dancing together and were officers from 1955-1968 in the Charlotte dance club, the Cosmopolitans. Tom received the President’s Award in 1973 from the Charlotte Sales & Marketing Executives, Inc., among other awards. He took his young family camping often and, eventually, enjoyed travelling as a “motorhomer”, trekking with his wife “Viv” across the US and Canada. He and his family were members of Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte for many years, and he and Vivian later joined River Hills Community Church in Lake Wylie, where he loved singing and touring with The Music Men and serving as one of the Men for the Master. In recent years Tom was a member of the Journey Church in Lake Wylie, SC.
An Emergency Medical Tech (EMT) in River Hills, Tom Funderburk also was active in several civic and service groups such as the Lake Wylie Lions Club. In recent years, Tom vigorously volunteered to serve and love his Westminster family as resident president and on many committees. He especially cherished his “Schmooze Group” of good friends.
Funderburk loved flying since his youth, maintained a commercial pilot’s license, and piloted small, private planes well into his 80s. He received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award in 2019. He was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 961 in Rock Hill, SC, and is featured in the “Pinky Funderburk Collection” of World War II artifacts in the Sullenberger Aviation Museum in Charlotte, NC. Tom was frequently interviewed by many publications and museums and was often asked to speak on television and in web interviews of his experience in WW2, as well as to local and regional schools and groups. He was a mentally sharp and articulate speaker even into his late 90s and was in demand as one of the last living former WW2 pilots.
Funderburk is survived by sons Brent (Debby) of Starkville, MS, Mike of Atlantic Beach, daughter-in-law Lorna Brooks of Garner, NC, Jeff (Joan) of Douglasville, GA, grandchildren Wyatt, Katie (Guess), Jackson, Phillip, Elle (Keres) and Steven, great-grandchildren Olivia and Owen, and his sister Anne (Planinsek) of Wilton, CT. In addition to his parents and his wife, Vivian, he was preceded in death by his sister Jane (Cowden) of Worcester, Mass.
Greene Funeral Home in Rock Hill, SC is serving the Funderburk family. Memorial donations to honor Thomas “Pinky” Funderburk may be given by check to the David Griffin Aviation Foundation (DGAF), helping young persons (aged 16 to 19) achieve pilot’s licenses: (davidgriffinaviationfoundation.org, 803-367-3261 dgaf.kuza@gmail.com 550 Airport Road, Suite 500, Rock Hill, SC 29732), or to: The Journey Church of Lake Wylie, SC, (5415 Highway 557, Lake Wylie, SC, 29710), 803-810-0555).
Condolences may be made at www.greenefuneralhome.net