Losing a spouse is always hard, especially when the loss occurs on your birthday. Bonnie Faulkner still misses her late husband, Harry Faulkner ‘63, who passed in 2021. Yet even through her grief, Bonnie knew she could continue to celebrate Harry and honor their life’s work through their giving to OWU.
Neither Bonnie nor Harry were strangers to giving back; in fact, it was ingrained in their personal and professional lives. Bonnie was the first executive director of development for Wilson Health in Sidney, Ohio, decades ago, working to build the resources to make the Wilson Health Foundation an integral part of the community. Bonnie credits much of her knowledge and learning about giving to Harry. “Harry would never say no to an ask,” laughs Bonnie. Together, they were leaders in Shelby County, supporting many local causes. Their support extended to Ohio Wesleyan, where Harry had a deep family connection: his brothers, John ‘68 and William ‘72; their father Walter ‘35 and uncle, Thomas ‘32, all attended OWU, as well as Harry’s son, Douglas ‘93. Harry embraced his OWU education in the true liberal arts spirit: participating in Greek life as FIJI, playing football and preparing diligently to pursue law school through his Economics major. After graduation, Harry continued to stay closely involved with his alma mater through his volunteer work on his class reunions and with OWU athletics.
Bonnie first came to Ohio Wesleyan’s campus during Harry’s 25th class reunion. “Everyone was so welcoming when I joined Harry on campus for the first time,” Bonnie remembers. Their visits to campus were frequent for campus activities, sporting events and alumni gatherings. For Harry, the enduring friendships were powerful and enduring: “My FIJI brothers are some of the finest men I have ever known,” he remarked.
In his submission to his 50th Reunion yearbook, Harry reflected: “My experiences at OWU helped provide the foundation for life-long transformations in my life. My mother suggested to me on several occasions that ‘you owe OWU a great deal because much of who you are today was created and refined by your association there.’ I know now that she was quite correct.”
Today, Bonnie celebrates Harry’s life, legacy and love for all things red and black by honoring their passion for OWU through a planned gift from Harry’s estate. They both felt that leaving the gift without restriction would allow the University to use the gift in the way that most benefited students and campus life at that time, and create the most significant impact for OWU.