KRONSGARTEN, MB
Local woman Mrs. Henry L. Funk is celebrating fifty years of never using her own first name. Funk follows the Mennonite tradition of signing all her letters, postcards, and even legal documents by simply affixing the word “Mrs.” in front of her husband’s name.
“A woman’s identity is in her husband,” says Mrs. Funk, “and even though Henry passed away in 2005, I still find comfort in using his name.”
Funk claims that after a half century of using her husband’s first and last name, she doesn’t even remember what her given name is.
“I’m pretty sure my maiden name was Loewen,” said Funk, “because all my spinster sisters are Loewens. But as for my first name, I have no clue. Was it Martha? Betsy? Helen? Who remembers such things?”
Life as a Henry has not always been easy for Mrs. Funk, but she says that over the years she’s grown accustomed to all of her deceased husband’s interests and hobbies.
“You should see the muskrat I trapped last winter,” said Funk. “I may have no idea what my name is or what my own interests used to be, but I sure do know how to tan a hide…just like Mr. Henry L. Funk.”
