Omar Funk Pirkey
Files
Title
Omar Funk Pirkey
Subject
Pirkey, Omar Funk (1848-1934)
Description
Photo of a photograph of Omar Funk Pirkey with a mustache and wearing a hat.
He is standing on the left side of a group photograph. The photographer has applied white marker as if to crop out the person beside him in preparation of making another print of just him.
The original group photograph was taken at an event honoring Civil War Confederate Veterans at Stickley Hall in Woodstock in January 1924. Pirkey attended but was not one of the Confederate veterans being honored.
A similar photograph was published in the Free Press on September 26, 2002, commemorating the earlier reunion.
Born in Strasburg, his parents were John Calvin (1816-1887) and Flora Elizabeth (Funk) (1820-1851) Pirkey.
He started out in merchandising gaining experience with Edward Zea who operated a general store in Strasburg that later became known as "Zea and Wright".
Later, he worked for thirty years as a railroad agent in Strasburg. He was also a partner with R.H. Riddleberger in the general merchandising business for a number of years.
He was always active in the community and lived on King Street for most of his life.
He married Mary Virginia Lehew (1855-1944) in 1874. The couple had a daughter together (who married a Campbell). When Omar Pirkey died, he left behind ten grandchildren.
Both Omar and his wife are buried in Riverview Cemetery in Strasburg.
He is standing on the left side of a group photograph. The photographer has applied white marker as if to crop out the person beside him in preparation of making another print of just him.
The original group photograph was taken at an event honoring Civil War Confederate Veterans at Stickley Hall in Woodstock in January 1924. Pirkey attended but was not one of the Confederate veterans being honored.
A similar photograph was published in the Free Press on September 26, 2002, commemorating the earlier reunion.
Born in Strasburg, his parents were John Calvin (1816-1887) and Flora Elizabeth (Funk) (1820-1851) Pirkey.
He started out in merchandising gaining experience with Edward Zea who operated a general store in Strasburg that later became known as "Zea and Wright".
Later, he worked for thirty years as a railroad agent in Strasburg. He was also a partner with R.H. Riddleberger in the general merchandising business for a number of years.
He was always active in the community and lived on King Street for most of his life.
He married Mary Virginia Lehew (1855-1944) in 1874. The couple had a daughter together (who married a Campbell). When Omar Pirkey died, he left behind ten grandchildren.
Both Omar and his wife are buried in Riverview Cemetery in Strasburg.
Creator
Morrison Studio
Source
Morrison Studio Collection - Shenandoah County Historical Society
Publisher
Shenandoah County Library
Date
ca 1924
Contributor
Identified by John Taylor and also by H.L. & J. Lockhart who provided a copy of the Free Press Photograph.
Biographical information was compiled from public sources including an article published in the Northern Virginia Daily on 30 October 1934, just after his death.
Rights
IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED
Relation
Omar Funk Pirkey appears in Morrison Studio Collection numbers 004740 and 004750.
Identifier
004750
Original Format
Glass Negative
Collection
Citation
Morrison Studio, “Omar Funk Pirkey,” Shenandoah County Library Archives, accessed March 15, 2026, https://archives.countylib.org/items/show/34286.
Comments