From 1950 to 1960, Funk co-published the Anacortes American, and from 1965 to 1988, he produced three newspapers on Whidbey Island. As a journalist and editor, he was highly regarded throughout the state, and served as the president of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. Funk served on the Anacortes City Council, was the 1959 chair of the United Good Neighbor drive, and served three years as president of the Anacortes Chamber of Commerce. He has twice received the Skagit County Bar Association’s prestigious “Liberty Bell” award, which goes to people who exemplify the ideals of community service and the U.S. Constitution.