Daphne Rogetta Funchess (Ellis)

In Remembrance of

Daphne Rogetta Funchess

Sunrise

November 28, 1963

Sunset

July 24, 2019

Daphne Rogetta Funchess was born to Ruby Jo James and Joe Funchess on November 28, 1963 in Portland, Oregon.  She came out dancing!

Daphne was in the very first Head Start class and King Elementary, Duniway Middle, and Roosevelt High schools.  She would later attend Tongue Point Job Corp Center in Astoria, OR where she would earn a Chef's Certificate, with honors.  This landed her a lead position in a four star Italian restaurant for many years.  She was a great cook and enjoyed cooking and entertaining for family and friends all the time.

Daphne would later become the Mother to ‘the Loves of Her Life’, Chimere Mone’ and Eric Nathan.  Daphne had other loves in her life such as God, cooking, dressing, crocheting and we all know she had a love for dancing.  She would crochet baby blankets for her nieces and, great-nieces and nephews and of course for her grandchildren.  In later years she was known as a dancing machine and earned the nickname the Dancing Queen.  She could be spotted dancing in all types of weather, from the church pews, throughout the hood and of course out on any dance floor.  She made her video debut of her dancing skills that was shared many times via Facebook.  She also was known for her "gift of gab."  Daphne has an older sister, Selena who would forever be known as ‘Sissy’ which Daphne affectionately nicknamed her.  At her mom’s 81st birthday party this past June, she asked Sissy “if she knew why she danced all the time and then answered that it was because she was glad to be alive”.  Despite seven aneurysms and numerous seizures she enjoyed and loved her life to the fullest.  Oh and marriages… yes, she had a few.

She leaves to mourn, her mother precious mother, Ruby James and father Joe Funchess (Clara); one sister, Selena Mason and one brother, Wrothel Funchess; one daughter, Chimere (Rico) Waddell and one son, Eric Nathan Franklin; three nieces, Tameka Brazile-Miles (Duvalle), Toi Chanel Lewis and Lari Lewis; seven grandchildren Andre’Neshia, Willie Jr., Zipporah, Payshients Daphne, Jabaree, Kilayah and Eric Jr.; and one great-grandson Ka’Dash. 

Daphne was preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Esso & Cochette James and paternal grandparents, Wrothel & Naomi Funchess.  She never met a stranger and also leaves a host of many other family and friends.

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