Sunday, March 12, 2017


It is with great sadness to say that my husband Howard passed away Sunday March 5th, 2017.

To Howard,
Wish my tears can tell you how I feel. I miss you, and I miss your love and your kindness.
Mohamed


Howard Faulkner died March 5, 2017 from complications of kidney cancer. Dr. Faulkner was born July 14, 1945 in Ames, Iowa, and grew up in nearby Story City, graduating from Story City High School in 1963. A National Merit Scholar, he attended the University of Northern Iowa as an undergraduate, receiving his B.A. in English in 1966. Dr. Faulkner received his M.A. (1968) and his Ph.D. (1972) from the University of Oklahoma, where, in addition to his studies, he was a graduate assistant and special instructor.

He came to Washburn University in 1972 and spent his career in the English department there. He was director of the Master of Liberal Studies program and from 2006-10 chair of the English department. Dr. Faulkner took four year-long leaves of absence to teach abroad. He was a Senior Fulbright Professor at the Univerzitet Kiril i Metodij in Skopje, Macedonia (1978-79), at Sofiiski Universitet in Sofia, Bulgaria (1995-96), and at Moulay Ismail University in Meknes, Morocco (2003-04). In 1987-88, he was a guest professor at the University of Metz in France.

With his colleague Dr. Virginia Pruitt, Dr. Faulkner authored four books: two were collections of the professional correspondence of Karl Menninger, one was a collection of letters to and from Dr. Menninger when he was a mental health advisor to the Ladies Home Journal in the early 1930s, and the fourth was a critical edition of a novel and previously unpublished short stories by the American writer Belinda Jelliffe. He wrote a text for use in Moroccan universities on American culture and Rules of the Game, an introductory text on English grammar. Dr. Faulkner also published widely on American literature.

One of his special passions was travel, France being his favorite destination. Besides the year he spent teaching there, he spent numerous summers in Paris and end-of-the-year holidays in Metz. In his travels and teaching abroad, he also discovered a passion for languages.

Dr. Faulkner is survived by his husband, Mohamed.

A celebration of Howard Faulkner's life is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. Monday, March 27, at Bradbury Thompson Center on the Washburn University campus. Memorial contributions may be made to Save the Children, 501 Kings Highway East, Suite 400, Fairfield, Connecticut 06825 or at www.savethechildren.org.