By Marjorie Strong-Faulkner
A long-time Pasadena and Monrovia resident, Vernon L. Faulkner became ill in his home in April. As we remember him, let’s not forget the brilliant and inquisitive mind that was always searching for more knowledge. He had a remarkable appreciation of what it means to be human and even more so after suffering death-threatening wounds on the battlefield in the Korean War. He knew that life could encompass great joy and sorrow, many pleasures and much pain.
He was grateful for the good things in life; he bore the difficult and painful with courage and fortitude – without complaints.
Even at those moments at home, two weeks before entering the hospital when his suffering and pain were so great, he tried to push through it and remembered somehow to give me the strength and courage to carry on. And, while he would have preferred to be the strong one taking care of me, he accepted his situation with grace and loving appreciation that made it possible for me to care for him those two weeks before he was forced to be taken to the hospital where the nursing staff and doctors could take care of him.
If he could speak to us today, he would ask us to be glad that he was permitted to die in peace and with dignity. He would want you to know that his assessment of his life was that it was a good one, and he would tell you that your love and friendship helped make this so. He would thank you, as I do, for your love and support during the happy and sad days which were part of our life together. He would remind us all that life is indeed fleeting, that we should savor every moment of it and that the kindness we intend to do had best be done today because we may not be able to do it tomorrow.
