Ellen Sumie Funayama, known to most as Sumi, passed away suddenly and far too soon at the age of 50 on November 6, 2023, in Cincinnati, Ohio. She lit up the world around her and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.
Sumi was born on November 20, 1972, to Hachiro Funayama and Elaine Ohlson in Mililani near Honululu, Hawaii, where she attended St. Andrews Priory. She spent her junior year of high school in Germany and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at the University of Hawaii in 1994. She continued her education at Yale University in Connecticut, where she met Morten Kristiansen from Denmark in her dorm. They married in Honolulu in 1997. When he completed his doctorate in Musicology in 2000, she took a position as Assistant Professor of Psychology in Hastings, Nebraska. One year later, she was offered her dream job at Gallaudet University in Washington, D. C., where she taught in sign language. While living in Washington, she took up hula dancing to stay connected to her Hawaiian heritage. She finished her doctorate in Psychology at Yale two years later and worked at Gallaudet until health problems forced her to retire in 2006. She rejoined Morten, who had begun working at Xavier University in Cincinnati that fall (they had lived apart since he took a job in Spokane, Washington, in 2004). This finally allowed them to start a family, and in 2008, against all odds due her many health conditions, she gave birth to twins Lukas and Lilian Kristiansen at the age of 35.
Sumi dedicated the next 15 years as a retiree to taking care of her family, but she also found time to volunteer for many events associated with Lukas and Lilian (dance studio, school, band, etc.) and enthusiastically pursued arts and crafts, especially crochet. She was particularly fond of donating hats to various causes and for a time started her own business, Sumi's Craft Corner.
She is survived by her husband, two children, mother, and sister Janelle Phillips.
She will always be remembered for her selfless, loving nature and boundless willingness to help others. Although she was nearly always in pain, her dedication to family and friends allowed her to power through her various ailments and find enjoyment in everyday life. The world will not be the same without her.
A celebration of life service will be held at Anderson Hills Church-Salem Campus on Saturday, December 9, at 1:00 p.m., to be followed by visitation and fellowship at 2:00-3:30.
In lieu of flowers, please support The Ehlers-Danlos Society www.ehlers-danlos.com/support-echo/ or a charity of your choice.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Sumi Funayama, please visit our flower store.
Sumi was born on November 20, 1972, to Hachiro Funayama and Elaine Ohlson in Mililani near Honululu, Hawaii, where she attended St. Andrews Priory. She spent her junior year of high school in Germany and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at the University of Hawaii in 1994. She continued her education at Yale University in Connecticut, where she met Morten Kristiansen from Denmark in her dorm. They married in Honolulu in 1997. When he completed his doctorate in Musicology in 2000, she took a position as Assistant Professor of Psychology in Hastings, Nebraska. One year later, she was offered her dream job at Gallaudet University in Washington, D. C., where she taught in sign language. While living in Washington, she took up hula dancing to stay connected to her Hawaiian heritage. She finished her doctorate in Psychology at Yale two years later and worked at Gallaudet until health problems forced her to retire in 2006. She rejoined Morten, who had begun working at Xavier University in Cincinnati that fall (they had lived apart since he took a job in Spokane, Washington, in 2004). This finally allowed them to start a family, and in 2008, against all odds due her many health conditions, she gave birth to twins Lukas and Lilian Kristiansen at the age of 35.
Sumi dedicated the next 15 years as a retiree to taking care of her family, but she also found time to volunteer for many events associated with Lukas and Lilian (dance studio, school, band, etc.) and enthusiastically pursued arts and crafts, especially crochet. She was particularly fond of donating hats to various causes and for a time started her own business, Sumi's Craft Corner.
She is survived by her husband, two children, mother, and sister Janelle Phillips.
She will always be remembered for her selfless, loving nature and boundless willingness to help others. Although she was nearly always in pain, her dedication to family and friends allowed her to power through her various ailments and find enjoyment in everyday life. The world will not be the same without her.
A celebration of life service will be held at Anderson Hills Church-Salem Campus on Saturday, December 9, at 1:00 p.m., to be followed by visitation and fellowship at 2:00-3:30.
In lieu of flowers, please support The Ehlers-Danlos Society www.ehlers-danlos.com/support-echo/ or a charity of your choice.
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