MONTGOMERY, ALA - Faulkner University lost a friend, leader and benefactor with the Aug. 22 death of James H. Faulkner, a longtime trustee for whom the university is named.

A newspaperman, entrepreneur, politician, philanthropist, husband, father and grandfather, Faulkner played many roles and left an indelible impression on everyone he met, university officials said. He was 92.

 In his five decades as a member of the Board of Trustees, Faulkner played a pivotal role in the development and expansion of Faulkner University, aiding the university in evolving from a two-year junior college to a four-year university with graduate programs and a law school.  He was instrumental in the acquisition of the law school and was a generous financial supporter who helped to make possible much of the progress experienced by the university in the last 20 years.

“For half a century ... he manifested a sustained interest and vital involvement with the university,” Faulkner President Billy D. Hilyer said.

The late V.P. Black once said of his friend, “There was a time when Faulkner University had some severe financial problems. I am convinced that if it had not been for Faulkner’s concern for the school and his generous spirit, there might not be a Faulkner University today. It is only fitting that the school should bear his name.”

He was a member of the Bay Minette, Ala., church for 72 years and served as an elder and treasurer for 50 years.