Lisa Dawn Funderburg

Lisa Dawn Funderburg, born in Birmingham, AL, on March 11, 1962, passed away surrounded by her loving family on January 3, 2025. A lifelong resident of Pell City, Lisa attended the Avondale Mills Kindergarten, Iola Roberts Elementary School, Pell City Intermediate School, and Duran Junior High School, graduating from Pell City High School in 1980. She attended the University of Alabama in Birmingham, earning a degree in education in 1983. After college, Lisa taught at Walter M. Kennedy School in Pell City for 42 years. Her passion for teaching and vitality for life are immeasurable, as her influence reached not only the students in her classroom, but both their parents and their siblings, as well. She was a respected, trusted, and sought-out mentor to teachers new to education. Her legacy as a gifted, motivational, and innovative educator will be felt for generations to come. Lisa’s distinctive and unforgettable teaching style was accentuated by her innate creative talents. Anyone that ever walked into her classroom can attest to Lisa’s ability to create a transformative and uplifting learning environment for her students - one that produced lifelong lovers of reading and keen observers of the world.

Lisa was constantly helping friends and family by sharing these same creative talents. Her unique brand of inspirational flare could be seen in her decorating, flower arranging, calligraphy, photography, landscaping, architecture, organ playing, and fashion, just to name a few. A gregarious and rambunctious storyteller, Lisa entertained countless students, friends, and family over the years. Affectionately known as Weiss (pronounced “Weese”) by her family, she devoted vast amounts of her time and energy to her eight nieces and nephews. She anticipated their every possible desire and supported them with her unwavering generous spirit and unconditional love.

Lisa was a member of Seddon Baptist Church in Pell City. She was devoted to her Lord and Savior and strived to share her loving spirit and kind words to everyone she encountered in her life.

Her family and friends will continue to joyfully celebrate her persistence to educate others and her determination to love and accept everyone around her. Her generous spirit, whimsical personality, and fiery life force will continue to inspire and be remembered by all who knew her. Lisa chose to be an organ donor, continuing to give in death as she did in life.

Lisa is survived by her parents, William “Pete” and Etheleen Funderburg of Pell City; two brothers Rodger Funderburg (Kelley Middleton) of Memphis, TN and Russell Funderburg (Laurie Hopkins) of Pell City; one sister Leslie Funderburg of Portland, OR; six nieces Addison Funderburg Laird (Walker) of Norfolk, VA, Sydney Funderburg of Memphis, TN, Maggie Funderburg Burrage (Brett) of Pell City, Olivia Funderburg Glassell (Stuart) of Memphis, Ellie Funderburg Sweatt (Logan) of Pell City, and Maud Funderburg-Vogel of Portland, OR; two nephews Colton Funderburg and Alston Funderburg, both of Pell City; and her beloved dog Lavender Blossom.

A Memorial Service will be held at Seddon Baptist Church on Monday, January 6th at 4pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Lisa-Dawn-Funderburg-Loves-to-Read Fund at Union State Bank, starting Tuesday, January 7th. This perpetual fund will provide Lisa’s favorite books to 4th graders throughout the Pell City School System, on an annual basis.