David Funderburk

{{Infobox officeholder

| image name =dfunderburk.jpg

|birth_name=David Britton Funderburk

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|04|28}}

| birth_place = Hampton, Virginia, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| state1 = North Carolina

| district1 = 2nd

| term_start1 = January 3, 1995

| term_end1 = January 3, 1997

| preceded1 = Tim Valentine

| succeeded1 = Bob Etheridge

| office2= United States Ambassador to Romania

| term_start2= October 2, 1981

| term_end2= May 13, 1985

| alma_mater= Wake Forest University (BA, MA)
University of South Carolina (PhD)

| predecessor2= O. Rudolph Aggrey

| successor2= Roger Kirk

| president2= Ronald Reagan

| party = Republican

| spouse = Betty Funderburk

}}

David Britton Funderburk (born April 28, 1944) is an American politician and diplomat who served as the Ambassador of the United States to Romania from 1981 to 1985. He later served as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina for one term.

Early life and education

Funderburk was born at Langley Field in Hampton, Virginia as the son of a pastor and school teacher. He grew up in Aberdeen, North Carolina and attended Wake Forest University from 1962 to 1967, earning a B.A. and M.A. He received his Ph.D. in 1974 from the University of South Carolina, with a thesis titled "British policy towards Romania, 1938–1940: A Study in Economic and Political Strategy".

Career

Prior to entering politics, Funderburk worked as a professor of history. He initially taught at Wingate University and then later at the University of South Carolina, Hardin–Simmons University, and Campbell University. He was a Fulbright Scholar who later received Romania's highest award to a foreigner. The University of Bucharest and Campbell University gave him honorary doctorates.

= Ambassador =

In 1981, Funderburk was chosen as the U.S. Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Romania, and served until 1985. In Pinstripes and Reds, a book published in 1987, he described the process by which he was nominated and confirmed to be ambassador, as well as aspects of life in Romania during the administration of Nicolae Ceaușescu.{{Cite web |date=17 August 1989 |title=The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project AMBASSADOR DAVID B. FUNDERBURK |url=https://adst.org/OH%20TOCs/Funderburk,%20David%20B.toc.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711202104/https://adst.org/OH%20TOCs/Funderburk,%20David%20B.toc.pdf |archive-date=11 July 2024 |access-date=11 July 2024 |website=Association for Diplomatic Studies and training}}

= Senate campaign =

In 1986, Funderburk ran for the U.S. Senate, but was defeated in the Republican primary by incumbent Jim Broyhill.

= Congress =

After the Senate race, Funderburk became a professional lecturer and writer. In 1994, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives and was elected as a Republican to the 104th Congress, coming in as a part of what became known as the Republican Revolution. Funderburk was the first Republican to represent his district since 1901.{{citation needed | date=May 2023}}

Funderburk was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the 105th Congress. His defeat was largely blamed on a car accident in which he was involved. Witnesses claimed that he was driving but then switched seats with his wife.{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19951028&id=1PZOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FhUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6679,4914781|title=Star-News - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|accessdate=Mar 20, 2021}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/73109/the-selling-the-scandal|title=The Selling of the Scandal|first=David|last=Grann|date=Sep 28, 1998|accessdate=Mar 20, 2021|magazine=The New Republic}}

File:Reagan Contact Sheet C4378 (cropped).jpg Ronald Reagan in 1981]]

= Lobbyist =

After leaving Congress, Funderburk joined the law firm Kirkpatrick and Lockhart, where he worked as a lobbyist.

Books

If the Blind Lead the Blind: The Scandal Regarding the Mis-teachings of Communism in American Universities Erwin, N.C.: Carolina Arts and Publishing House, 1978.
British Policy Toward Romania, 1938–1940 N.p., 1983.
Pinstripes and Reds: An American Ambassador Caught Between the State Department & the Romanian Communists, 1981–1985 Washington, D.C.: Selous Foundation Press, 1987. {{ISBN|0-944273-01-7}}