Denzel Faulkner

Masonic Graveside Services 3pm Sunday, February 24, 2019, Pleasant Hill Baptist Cemetery

Visitation: 5pm-8pm Saturday, February 23, 2019, at Ott & Lee Funeral Home - Forest, MS

The family will gather at 1pm Sunday, February 24, 2019, at Ott & Lee Funeral Home for private family time.

Denzel H. Faulkner(97), a retired carpenter, was born August 5, 1921, in Slick, Oklahoma, the son of Benjamin Joseph Faulkner and Mary Vilena Faulkner. He passed away following a short illness February 21, 2019, at The Mississippi Veterans Nursing Facility in Kosciusko, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by his wife of 73 years, Inez Lyle Faulkner, in 2013;  his parents, and two brothers, Clarence Edward Faulkner and Thyne Colon Faulkner. He is survived by his son, Medric Denzel Faulkner of Forest, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Known affectionately by most as Uncle Dink, he attended school at Tanyard, Sebastopol, Walnut Grove and Clifton before receiving training in the carpentry trade as part of The Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s. He married Inez Lyle, his childhood friend and playmate, in 1940 and they began their life together as farmers in the Clifton and Lillian Communities of Scott County until 1943 when he entered the United States Army and was assigned to the 79th Division to fight in World War II. Entering the war in June 1944 as a replacement following the D-Day Invasion, he served as a platoon first scout fighting in the liberation of France, Belgium and Luxembourg until he was wounded crossing the Moselle River to liberate the Province or Lorraine, France, on September 19, 1944. After being wounded, he was in rehabilitation hospitals in England, Scotland and Walla Walla, Washington, for a period of time before returning home to Scott County to work at the Forest Railroad Depot making freight deliveries. After a short stint of farming in the late 1940s, he and his wife followed heavy construction jobs working for Dupont Company helping to build atomic bomb manufacturing plants in South Carolina and Tennessee. Returning home to rear his son, Medric, in 1956; he worked as a preventative maintenance supervisor for the Mississippi State Park System until he retired in 1983.

In retirement, he enjoyed working on the family farm, woodworking in his shop, gardening, and building projects. He always enjoyed and reveled in family events, telling war stories, repeating a risque rhyme or story, conversation over coffee, and a stiff drink of good whiskey.

He is to be buried with Masonic Rites in the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery in Leake County beside his wife and among multiple generations of his ancestors and family members.

Pallbearers proudly wearing the Holy Cross of Lorraine, insignia of the 79th Army Division include: Denson Faulkner, Dwight Faulkner, Alan Griffith, Logan White, Austin Moss, Preston Pennington, Clayton Lott, Glenn Lott, Lyle Richardson, Cameron Thornton, David Faulkner, Hiland Faulkner, Hester Faulkner, Dan Hall, Josh Shoemaker, Jon Nichols, Tomas Nichols, and Justin Guy. Honorary pallbearers include: Dr. John Paul Lee, Mrs. Denise Hawkins, Chad Griffith, Jason Griffith, Patton Pennington, Aiden Guy, and Michael Moss.

The family wishes to thank the nurses and staff members of StaHome Health and Hospice and the Doctors, nurses and staff members of Forest Family Practice, Jackson Heart Clinic, and the Mississippi Veterans Nursing and Rehabilitation Center of Kosciusko.

Note: The Holy Cross of Lorraine was awarded to The United States Army 79th Division in WWI and proudly worn in the fight to liberate France in WWII.

Services by Ott & Lee Funeral Home of Forest.

Telephone: (601) 469-3412