Gladys Lorraine Faulkner

A memorial service will be conducted at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, July 21, at The Hills Church, 6300 NE Loop 820 North Richland Hills, with Dr. Eddie Sharp presiding.

Gladys was born in Fort Worth, April 28, 1930, the youngest child of Walton and Vivian Shoemaker. She grew up in Fort Worth and attended Paschal High School, graduating in 1948. While a student at then Abilene Christian College she began dating fellow Paschal graduate Paul Faulkner and the two married July 12, 1952, after earning their college degrees. For the next 64 years Gladys devoted her energy and creativity to her family as the Faulkners ministered to churches in Kansas, North Carolina and ultimately Abilene where they lived for 39 years. After Paul completed doctoral studies at Southwestern Theological Seminary and joined the Bible faculty at ACU, Gladys returned to graduate school and earned her master’s degree in education in 1976. Gladys taught in the Headstart program in Abilene for many years. Beginning in 1974, Gladys regularly traveled with Paul around the U.S. and to eight countries where he and Dr. Carl Brecheen conducted Marriage Enrichment Seminars. After Paul retired in 1996, the couple moved to Driftwood where they built the Cypress Springs Ranch on the banks of Onion Creek. There they continued to minister to families and couples in crisis and served together on the Ministers Support Network team blessing ministry couples. A seasoned and passionate world traveler, Gladys enjoyed planning trips for the entire family including international trips with each grandchild to the destination of his or her choice. She especially enjoyed Disney World and the Faulkner home had many family pictures made with Mickey. She loved animals, nature and spending time outdoors at the ranch, swimming in the creek and playing with her grandchildren.

Gladys is survived by her husband of 64 years, Paul, and by four children and their spouses: Debbie and Randy Clinton of Keller, Von and Dorsi Faulkner of Austin, Brad and Denise Faulkner of Henderson,TX and Connie and Larry Brown of Frisco, TX. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Michael and Nick Catanese, Dylan Faulkner, Hunter Clinton, Hailey and Charles Rotenberry, Corban Brown, Daniel Brown, Ashton Faulkner and Zane Faulkner, and by two great-grandchildren, Charlee and Caden Catanese.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to: Paul and Gladys Faulkner Endowed Scholarship at Abilene Christian University at www.acu.edu/giveonline specifying the name of the endowment in the comment area; or Ministers Support Network, Box 29425, ACU, Abilene, TX 79699; or Community Enrichment Center, 6250 NE Loop 820, North Richland Hills, TX 76180.