FAUNCE, Dr. Roscoe Orville

FAUNCE, THOMPSON, GOULD, CHEVILLE, EDWARDS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/12/2016 at 13:34:52

Biography ~ Dr. Roscoe Orville Faunce
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Roscoe Orville Faunce was born on November 1, 1905, in Nebraska City, Nebraska. He made his mark in Graceland history as the guiding force in the college's theatrical productions for more than two decades. He was active in drama as a Graceland student from 1923 to 1926, and obtained his master's degree in speach at Iowa State College [present-day Iowa State University at Ames] in 1928.

Faunce taught for a year at Kansas State Agricultural College and pursued his doctorate at the University of Michigan. He began his career as speech and drama professor at Graceland in April 1934 following the death of instructor Florence L. Thompson.

Dr. Faunce's first directorial effort at Graceland was Three Cornered Moon, preformed in the spring of 1934. Dr. Faunce became known as a quiet, gentle person who had a very laid-back directing style and is credited as the person who pushed for the creation of a theatre department at Graceland. He frequently stepped in front of student audiences to join Roy Cheville and William "Bill" Gould in their traditional humorous song, Cigareets and Whusky and Wild, Wild Women. The last play directed by Dr. Faunce, Antigone, was performed April 21-23, 1960.

Dr. Faunce died hours after suffering a stroke at his home shortly after the 1956-60 school year [June 22, 1960, Ringgold County Hospital, Mount Ayr, Iowa]. However, his name became a continuing part of the campus when the residence hall house system was introduced in 1962 and one of the men's groups voted to call themselves "Faunce House."

NOTE: Dr. Faunce was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa. Dr. Faunce's wife, Grace Alice (Edwards) Faunce was born in 1913, the daughter of Adolphus and Lettie Edwards, and died April 4, 1992. She was interred beside Dr. Faunce at Rose Hill.

SOURCES: Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” p. 404. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

Rose Hill Cemetery transcription

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016

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