Mary Louise Dittman Faulkner, 98, passed away peacefully Sunday morning, June 13, 2021, surrounded by loved ones.
Mary Louise’s remarkable life began in September of 1922 on an Indian Reservation in Osage County, Oklahoma and her childhood was illustrated by larger-than-life adventures. While she was growing up, her family helped establish many oil boomtowns across America, traveled aboard transcontinental ocean liners, and lived in coastal villages of Venezuela, Dutch West Indies, and Puerto Rico.
It was the 1940s in the heartland of America where she started the greatest adventure of all by finding her true love, George J. Faulkner Jr., and starting a family. They were married in the Old Cathedral in Vincennes, Indiana where she was active in many ministries including Altar Society and donating her famous pies for funeral dinners and White Elephant sales. The parish was home to countless family milestones, memories, and traditions over their 56 years of marriage. Her technical savvy and passion for connecting with people led to a career as Head Switchboard Operator for Vincennes University. Most recently she was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church where she was active with the Altar Society and the Shamrockers, and volunteered at St. Patrick Soup Kitchen and the former St. Ann Clinic. To know Mary Louise was to know unwavering faith, compassion, and love.
She is preceded in death by her father, Claire William Dittman (1954), her mother, Mary Ann Henry Dittman (1961), her brothers, Charles Dittman (1921), Robert “Bob” Dittman (1957) and Daniel “Bill” Dittman, Sr. (1984), and her husband, George J. Faulkner, Jr. (2000).
Mary Louise is survived by a vast and loving family spanning four generations, including her four children: Lawrence J. Faulkner and wife Catherine of Plainfield, IN; Stephen M. Faulkner of Granger, IN; Lynn M. and husband David Gaul of Poquoson, VA; and Elizabeth A. and husband Mark Bryant of Terre Haute, IN; and nine grandchildren: Mary Ann Vinyard (Mark), Judith Rodgers (Charles), Jessica Major (Josh), Jacob Gaul (Beth), Abby Bryan (Deric), Aaron Gaul (Julia), Megan Robinson (Megan) and Michael and Adam Faulkner. Also surviving are twenty great-grandchildren, Christian, Garret, Graham and Gabriel Vinyard, Patrick Rodgers (Jade), Caroline Rodgers, Andrew, Dylan and Olivia Major, Caroline Gaul, Owen, Aiden, Ava and Raelyn Bryan, Denver and Nora Gaul, Will Blundell, Harlow and Ezra Robinson and Bentley Faulkner; one great-great grandchild, Rafi Rodgers; sister-in-law, June Blair; and a number of special nephews, nieces and very close friends.
Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:00 AM, Friday, June 18, 2021 in St. Patrick Catholic Church, 1807 Poplar Street with Father Dan Bedel officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Vincennes, IN. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday from 4:00-8:00 PM with a Rosary to be recited at 7:30 PM in Callahan & Hughes Funeral Home, 605 South 25th Street. If friends should so desire memorial contributions may be made to St. Patrick Church Soup Kitchen, 1807 Poplar Street, Terre Haute, IN 47803. Funeral information and tributes may be found at www.callahanandhughes.com .
Thursday, June 17, 2021
4:00 - 8:00 pm (Eastern time)
Callahan & Hughes Funeral Home
Friday, June 18, 2021
Starts at 10:00 am (Eastern time)
St. Patrick Catholic Church
Friday, June 18, 2021
St. Patrick Church Soup Kitchen
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