For a man that’s been honored by the U.S. House of Representatives, written about in The New York Times and set records in Olympic ski jumping, Rolf Funk is as unassuming a human being as one could meet.

At 76-years-young, Funk joined our little town of Sedona in May 2010 and currently resides in the Village of Oak Creek.

Funk recently claimed the U.S. National Speed Series title in Downhill and the

Super G masters events for the 2011 season in March.

Based on World Cup points, Funk took home five gold medals and one silver to sweep the field. Funk is a big part of the U.S. Masters Atomic Race Team.

Born in Chicago, Funk claims his home to be Jackson Hole, Wyo., but has truly lived all over the country in places like Lake Tahoe, Calif., in Colorado, any place where skiing is the main attraction.

Funk graduated from Maine Township High School in 1953 and pursued a life in the church, attending two years at Chicago Bible College while studying theology.

Before graduating high school however, Funk found ski jumping in 1951, his real life purpose.

“I started ski jumping in 1951 and it’s been my career. It’s more than a hobby,” Funk said.

In 1954, Funk started competing nationally and internationally before just missing the cut at the Olympic trials in 1960.

Funk was the first to test the 90-meter ski jump in Squaw Valley, Calif., which is now the standard in Olympic ski jumping.

He’s been all over the world, skiing in the world championships in Italy, in Germany in 1956 and in Norway and Sweden in 2006.

For all the excitement and fame he earned while competing at the highest level there was, Funk almost lost his life in 1995.

While skiing in Breckenridge, Colo., Funk took a tumble and went head first into the snow, fracturing his C4 and C5 vertebrae.

Funk was paralyzed from the neck down but was back skiing in 10 months, but it was not the same for years.

“It took me six full years to get the feeling back in my legs again. To be able to stop on my own took a lot,” Funk said.

Although skiing was his love, Funk eventually became a contractor and was a log home builder in Colorado and Wyoming for several years.

These days, Funk can be found at the Sedona Golf Resort, spending his days as a starter on the course.

“I help people find their way. I get them going. I give them tips about the course and I like to share my knowledge,” Funk said.

Funk has two children — Carl, 50, and Lisa, 47. Lisa currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, while Carl is in Boise, Idaho, and used to be a professional golfer.

When asked why he chose to live in Sedona, Funk answered that his wife loved it here, and they visited off and on for 12 years.

Funk’s wife passed away in 2006, but he still wanted to be here in Sedona, a place they had enjoyed together.

Other fun activities Funk likes to participate in are hunting, golfing and a lot of bike riding. He especially likes to brag about the 3,189.4 miles he rode in 2009 on his bike.

“It keeps me in shape. I love to hike as well,” Funk said.

In the end, Funk is living out his life the way he wants to, and that’s all he ever asked from it. He plans to continue to ski competitively despite his age and doesn’t listen to any of the naysayers.

“Someone asked me once had I been skiing all my life, and my answer was, ‘not yet,’” Funk said with a big smile.