Claire Faust (2010)

FAUST, HART, CHARTRAND, KIND, ASFAW

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 2/11/2010 at 21:37:48

Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa
February 10, 2010

CLAIRE FAUST, MANKATO, MINNESOTA

Claire Faust, age 89, passed away at Hillcrest Health Care Center Monday, Feb. 8, 2010.
Claire was born in rural Madison County, Iowa, to John and Ruth Faust on July 28, 1920. He was united in marriage to Hazel Vivian Hart, his lifetime partner, on Aug. 7, 1945.

Claire was a graduate of Winterset High School and earned a B.A. at Central College in Pella, Iowa, in 1941, his Masters of Education from The University of South Dakota in 1949, and completed his Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Curriculum from The University of Iowa in 1962. Claire’s entire adult life was dedicated to education. He taught in high schools in Mondamin, Onawa, Garden Grove, and Leon, Iowa.

He also was superintendent of schools in Garden Grove, principal and assistant superintendent at Leon (where he supervised the consolidation of the Central Decatur County School District), principal of the Perkins School at The University of Iowa Hospitals, and principal of Wilson Campus School at Mankato State University.

At Minnesota State University, Mankato, he held a variety of posts: the chairman of the Department of Educational Administration, the director of the Center of Advanced Professional Proficiency, the assistant vice president of Academic Affairs, the director of Administrative Services, and was vice president of Administrative Services when he retired in 1986. Among many notable accomplishments at MSU was his work with the administrative team in the consolidation of the MSU campus and in pioneering the doctoral programs in Educational Administration at MSU.

His life was directed toward service: Service to God, service to country, and service to mankind.

Claire was actively generous to the community and to his family. He was always teaching and motivating people to be the best they could be. He infused all his activities with great good humor, team spirit, and the love of music.

His professional memberships included Phi Delta Kappa and the National Education Association. In the Mankato community, he was very active in Centenary Methodist Church, serving on many committees and boards as well as singing in the Sanctuary Choir. He also was a very active Kiwanian and was the advisor to the MSU, M Circle K Club for nearly 30 years. He also served on the YMCA Executive Board, the Immanuel-St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation Board, the RSVP Board, and was a member of the Blue Earth County Recycling Committee, and the Blue Earth County Environmental Services Advisory Committee.

Claire was a member of the Mankato City Council for one term and served on the Mankato Airport Commission. In addition, he served on a wide array of other committees and task forces that served specific needs in the Mankato community between 1963 and the present.

He was the recipient of many national and local honors and awards. He felt deeply honored by all of these awards, but he was most proud of his Silver Beaver from the Twin Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Book of Golden Deeds Award in 2002 from the Exchange Club, the Doing the Most Good Award from the Salvation Army, the Pathfinder Award from the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Board in 1995, the Service to Mankind Award from Sertoma in 1987, and the Kiwanian of the Year in 1995 from the Downtown Mankato Kiwanis Club.

One of his great passions in his life was music. He was a band director in several high schools early in his career, and with his wife, Hazel, encouraged his three sons to seriously study music. He served on the Mankato Symphony Board, sang in the Minnesota Chorale, played trumpet in the Mankato Municipal Band, the Mankato State University Symphonic Band, and the Golden Boys Band.

Surviving are his three sons, Dr. Randall Faust, (Sharon) of Macomb, Ill.; John of Utica, N.Y., and Douglas Faust (Lori) of Mankato. Also surviving are his brother, Howard Faust (Kathy), and sister, Kathryn Chartrand, both of Mt. Ayr, Iowa. There are three grandchildren: Michael Faust (Kristin) of Davis, Calif.; Angelyn Faust Kind (Christopher) of New York, N.Y., and Jason Faust of New York, N.Y.; great-grandsons, John and William Faust of Davis, Calif.; special family member, Ermias Asfaw (Michelle) and sons Zachary and Tyler of Mankato, Minn.; many cousins and nephews; all past and present Circle K members; and his neighbors at Keystone Communities.

The family would like to extend deep gratitude to the professional caregivers at Keystone Communities, Immanuel-St. Joseph’s Hospital, Hillcrest Health Care Center, and to all the talented medical professionals in the Mankato community who have cared for Claire.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 12, at the Centenary United Methodist Church. Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Woodland Hills Chapel and one hour before the service at the church.

Memorials may be given to the Claire E. Faust Scholarship Endowment Fund at the Minnesota State University-Mankato Foundation, Centenary United Methodist Church, Twin Valley Council of the Boy Scouts, Mankato Symphony, or to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Claire was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Hazel.