January 21, 2012

WATERTOWN, N.Y.  —  Richard D. Faulknham, 86, of Watertown died Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Ives Hill Senior Retirement Facility, where he has resided since 2009. 
 
A memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at Holy Family Church with Rev. Leo Wiley officiating. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery, town of Watertown, at the convenience of the family. The family will receive friends at the Ives Hill Retirement Center following the funeral. 
 
Arrangements are with Cummings Funeral Service, Inc. Watertown. 
 
Born June 19, 1925 in Rutland, NY  the son of John and Maude Ellis Faulknham, he graduated from Watertown High School in 1943. 
 
Mr. Faulknham enlisted in the Army in 1944 serving in Germany where he received a purple heart for an injury requiring his return to the US for an extended hospital stay.  He was discharged April 1946 when he then returned to Watertown. 
 
He married Mary Fleming on June 21, 1947, at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church, Watertown, with Msgr. J. A. Francour officiating. Mrs. Faulknham died Aug. 13, 2008.

Mr. Faulknham worked as a Watertown Police Officer for four years before he began at the U.S. Postal Service where he remained until his retirement after 33 years of service.  He was an usher at Holy Family, a Life member of the Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Veteran's of Foreign Wars, Knight's of Columbus, and a member and officer for the National Letter Carriers' Association. 
 
He and Mary Faulknham lived in Burrville from 1953 to 1985, when they retired to Rolling Green, Ocala, Fla. They lived there for 21 years where Mr. Faulknham was an officer of the New Yorker Club and an active member of the Woodworking Club. They returned to Cape Vincent for a short time prior to Mr. Faulknham's move to Watertown. They maintained their summer residence in Three Mile Bay. 
 
He was an active member of Holy Family Church prior to his departure to Florida and reconnected with St. Vincent dePaul Church, Rosiere, then returned to Holy Family. 
 
Surviving are a son and his wife, R. Dennis and Joanne Faulknham, Cape Vincent, two daughters and their husbands, Cindy (Bonura) and Michael Sturgeon, Syracuse, and Susan F. and Michael Bielawski, E. Amherst, 9 grandchildren: Katie and Jason Centolella, R. Daniel and Beth Faulknham, Kristine Faulknham, Peter J. and Christine VanWormer, Ryan Vanwormer, Gregg M Bielawski, Denise and Ryan Patterson, Drew Bielawski and Jill Bielawski; two great-grandchildren Anna Centolella and Lily VanWormer; a sister-in-law Audrey Lawrence, Cape Vincent, and two brothers-in-law and their wives, Thomas and Sharon Fleming and Terrence and Mary Jane Fleming of Copenhagen and sisters-in-law: Carol Fleming, Copenhagen, Marlene Fleming, Carthage and Carol Fleming, Cape Vincent in addition to numerous nieces and nephews.  

He was predeceased by two sisters Natalie Riley and Lucille Johnson and most recently in September by his brother Elon "Ham" Faulknham, from San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Instead of flowers, donations may be made in his name to Hospice of Jefferson County, 425 Washington St., or Holy Family Church, 129 Winthrop St, both in Watertown, NY 13601.

Information provided by Cummings Funeral Service and Newzjunky.com, Watertown