Barbara Funkhouser
Barbara Funkhouser | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date El Paso, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | August 15, 2014 (aged 84) Fairacres, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, newspaper editor, author |
| Years active | 1958–1990 (journalism career) |
| Known for | First female editor of the El Paso Times (1980–1986) |
Barbara Funkhouser (March 1, 1930 – August 15, 2014) was an American journalist, newspaper editor, and author. She made history as the first female editor of the El Paso Times, a role she held between 1980 and 1986.
Early life
Funkhouser was born on March 1, 1930, in El Paso, Texas, and grew up on her family's agricultural property in Fairacres, New Mexico. Following the premature death of her father, her mother took charge of managing the farm with the assistance of hired laborers. She completed her secondary education at Las Cruces Union High School and obtained a bachelor's degree from New Mexico State University in 1952. After college graduation, she spent six months in Belgium through a 4-H exchange program, subsequently working for 4-H organizations in Washington, D.C., and Chicago for five years before returning to New Mexico.
Journalism career
Beginning her career in journalism as a freelance contributor in 1958, Funkhouser then spent a year working at a newspaper in Las Cruces. She later joined the staff of the El Paso Times, dedicating over thirty years to the publication. Among her notable assignments was covering the 1968 debut of Firecreek, where she interviewed director Vincent McEveety, screenwriter Calvin Clements, as well as actors James Stewart and Barbara Luna. Additionally, she conducted interviews with actor and baseball player Kurt Russell during his tenure with the El Paso Sun Kings and led the newspaper’s 1973 interview with singer Vikki Carr.
Her appointment as editor of the El Paso Times from 1980 until 1986 represented a groundbreaking achievement as the paper’s first woman to hold that position.
Later years
After more than three decades at the El Paso Times, Funkhouser retired on June 1, 1990. She subsequently joined New Mexico State University’s faculty and contributed part-time as an editorial writer for the Las Cruces Sun-News. In July 1996, she participated in an oral history interview for the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. She also authored the book "The Caregivers: El Paso's Medical History, 1898-1998." Beyond journalism and academia, Funkhouser managed and operated the Tatreault Vineyard located on her family’s farm in Fairacres until her passing in 2014.
Barbara Funkhouser died at her residence in Fairacres on August 15, 2014, aged 84. Her memorial service took place at St. James Episcopal Church in Las Cruces on August 26, 2014.