Marian Jeanette Falconer

Marian Jeanette Falconer passed away in Tarpon Springs, FL at the age of 91, entering into Heaven on October 9, 2023. She was born on January 12,1932 in Culbertson, NE to Marie and Henry Albert, Germans who emigrated to America from Russia amidst turmoil in the early 1900s. Growing up on a farm in southwestern Nebraska with six sisters and a brother, Marian often spoke with fondness about her childhood memories of farm life. She graduated from Culbertson High School in 1949, having been involved in many activities including journalism, pep club, glee club and the band in which she played in a trumpet trio. As a high school junior she was honored to be selected as a delegate to Cornhusker Girl’s State where she learned about government and leadership in the state’s capital over the summer.

After attending both Nebraska Wesleyan University and McCook Junior College and teaching in a rural “one-room schoolhouse” for one year, Marian went on to finish her Bachelor’s degree at North Central College in Naperville, IL in 1955. She was a teacher in Elmhurst, IL and then in Denver, CO where she met a young pastor named Robert Falconer. They were married in 1959 and began a family as they moved around several midwestern states pastoring different churches. During their time at one of the churches, Marian, seeing a community need and acting upon it, ran her own private kindergarten out of the church.

In 1971 Marian and Robert, with their three children, made University City—a suburb of St. Louis, MO—their home. At first Marian taught in private elementary schools before transitioning to the public school system. She earned a Master of Education from University of Missouri–St. Louis and, deciding to specialize in remedial reading, she took 30 more hours of university coursework beyond that. Of her over 30 years teaching, Marian spent the last 20 years in the University City School District at the secondary level where she finished up her career teaching in the district’s Alternative High School. She was passionate about helping students complete the credits needed to earn their high school diploma. Amazingly, she never took a sick day those 20 years.

Marian was an avid reader, a resourceful seamstress and industrious embroiderer, an indoor master gardener, a Sudoko problem solver, a piano player and, in her retirement years with Robert, an international traveler. They moved to Lake Saint Louis, MO in 1989 and regularly attended Dardenne Presbyterian Church where Robert acted as a Parish Associate and where Marian’s Salmon Circle study group became very near and dear to her heart. After the loss of Robert in November 2010, Florida became Marian’s new home in the summer of 2020 where she lived near her daughter, Jennifer, and her family until the time of her passing.

She is survived by her sister Jolene McInnis of Lincoln, NE; three children and their spouses—Pam Tauser (Ed) of Wentzville, MO, Jennifer Lynch (Damian) of Tarpon Springs, FL and Brian Falconer (Virginia) of Maplewood, NJ; and 10 grandchildren—Colleen and Daniel Falconer; Isabella, Juliette, Vanessa and Max Lynch; and Stephanie, David, Caroline and James Tauser.

Preceding her in death are her mother and father, Henry and Marie Albert; sisters Leona Albert (infant), Helen Lucas, Lydia Murray, Frieda Carter, Martha Haupt and Esther Gallavan; brothers Henry Albert (infant) and Kenneth Albert; and her husband of over 50 years, Robert Falconer.

A Celebration of Life is planned for Monday, June 10 at 10am at The Rock Church, Dardenne Presbyterian Church, 7400 South Outer 364, Dardenne Prairie, MO 63368. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Marian was a longtime supporter of Samaritan’s Purse (samaritanspurse.org) and its various missions and was an advocate for children’s literacy through initiatives like Reading Is Fundamental (rif.org). Donations may be made to either of these organizations in lieu of flowers.