John Michael Faulkner was born on February 20, 1948 to Hazel Irene Faulkner and John Louis Faulkner in Webb City, Missouri. As a child, Mike, excelled at sports and by highschool lettered in football, basketball, and track. He also discovered a love of music and sang in the Webb City High School choir; he would continue to be involved in various church choirs for much of his life. This love would also result in him acquiring hundreds, if not thousands, of vinyl albums, his tastes ranging from classic rock to country to R&B and soundtracks (Mike was an avid movie buff).
After highschool, Mike enlisted in the US Navy where he served during the VietNam War. Mike worked on supply ships between Da Nang, Japan, and the Philippines, where he experienced combat and was exposed to the toxic chemical Agent Orange. While it is unknown what effects this exposure had on him, Mike’s life would be marked by numerous health and neurological issues.
After being honorably discharged at the rank of Petty Officer Third Class, Mike moved to Dallas, Texas where he would meet Sue Ella Almquist and her infant son, Pat Henry Almquist II. Mike and Sue were married on July 31, 1975, and recently celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary. Mike would go on to formally adopt Henry as his son, changing his name to Pat Henry Faulkner. The family lived in the Dallas area for over 20 years, mostly in Grand Prairie and Irving.
Over the course of his life, Mike worked at many skilled trades: drapery and fabric installation, air conditioning service and repair, warehouse inventory management. For a time Mike and Sue ran Faulkner’s Tea Room in Canton, Texas where they baked pastries, quiches, and cookies in a decorative stall of an antiques mall.
In his off hours, he was an adept carpenter, mechanic, and all around handy person.
Mike loved the outdoors and enjoyed camping, fishing, and hunting. He encouraged his son to get involved with Boy Scouts of America, where Mike often accompanied the troop on camp outs. In 2022, Mike’s grandson would achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.
Mike’s retirement years saw him moving several times. First to Orlando, Florida where, along with his sister and brother-in-law’s family, he helped to care for his aging mother. While living there, Mike and Sue were active in their local VFW and American Legion posts (Mike’s natural sports ability made him a formidable virtual bowler). From there the couple would move to the Woodlands near Houston, before settling again and finally in Dallas.
Due to his declining health, Mike had spent the last three years of his life in VA care facilities.
He passed away on Saturday, November 18, 2023. He is survived by his wife, Sue Ella Faulkner, his son Pat Henry Faulkner, his daughter-in-law, Christie Rene Freeman, his grandson, Jack Waylon Faulkner, his sister Patricia Ann Hutchinson, his brother-in-law John Hutchinson, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Kenneth and Kathy Kurtz, nieces and nephews, John Hutchinson, Chris and Arlene Huchinson, Jeremiah Kutz, and Hannah Kurtz.
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