Mary Fauk

PORTLAND – Marie Fauk, 92, formerly of Houlton, and late of Portland, entered into eternal life with her Savior on November 10, 2015. Marie, also known as Mary, was born in Petite Bethany, France, on October 15, 1923, the only daughter of Marcel and Jeanne Beaulieu.

As a young woman, Mary worked in both a cheese factory and a champaigne factory in Reims, France. During World War II, her home was bombed and destroyed by the British during a raid on German installations in the area. Her home had also been bombed in WW I, rebuilt and then rebombed. Now homeless, she lived, with her father in the cheese factory where they both worked. Jean, her younger brother and she were separated for almost four years during the war. Jean, being subject to tuberculosis, the disease that took their mother at 40 years of age, was moved to a sanitorium (for TB) in a safer region in southern France, while Mary remained in Reims.

There were several POW compounds in the area around Reims. Two of them were commanded by Robert (Bob) Fauk, a U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant who would become her future husband. The compounds held both German and Polish prisoners, many of whom had been forced into the German Army. Most of them did not want to fight, but they had no choice….and were happy to be captured by the Americans. Many of the prisoners were artisans, craftsmen, bakers and musicians. Rather than being continually confined in prisoner camps, and none willing to return to Germany till the war was over, were happy to work in French fields and factories, including the cheese factory where Mary worked. Bob would frequently stop by the factory to ensure the prisoners were behaving and not causing problems. Mary also noticed this same American officer in church on Sunday, standing quietly at the back of the church.

The cheese factory also served as a place for dances and other social activity, like Christmas and Easter Dinners. At one of these Easter dinners, Mary and Bob began to talk and enjoyed each other’s company….though Mary spoke little English and Bob stumbled through French. He was a fluent German speaker, however. After a time of courting, they decided to be married.

On July 6, 1946, Marie T. Beaulieu and Bob Fauk were married at St. Joan of Arc Church in Reims, France. The food was all prepared by the German prisoners, the music was provided by the German prisoners, and numerous wedding gifts were hand made by German prisoners of whom Bob took such good care and showed personal interest. The prisoners painted beautiful paintings on canvas and framed them, made jewelry of melted down rank insignia, a jewelry box and vase made with discarded ammunition casings, carved wooden bowls from wood and with tools provided by their captor, the POW compound commander, Lt. Fauk.

On the night of their honeymoon, staying in a hunting cabin in the woods near Reims, an unknown someone fired several shots at the cabin. Bob dug the bullets out of the walls and took them to the German prisoners who mounted three of them on a silver bracelet for Marie.

In the Spring of 1947, alone, Marie began a three week ocean voyage from France to the New York City on a troop ship. Being pregnant with her son, she was sea sick the entire journey. After landing in New York City, she boarded a train for a several day journey to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the home of her husband who remained in France. Speaking little English and knowing no one, she arrived at her new in-laws home to a chilly reception. Seems that Bob’s parents had “pre-arranged” an engagement for him to a local girl, and Marie’s arrival proved that option was not going to happen. While Bob’s dad adjusted to the change well and learned to love Marie, it was not so with Minnie, Bob’s mom.

After Bob returned to the United States, the family, now with two children relocated to El Paso, Texas, with the U.S. Border Patrol, eventually taking them, in 1960, to Houlton where they lived for over 30 years. Marie loved to sing in the St. Mary’s Choir, performed in numerous musical productions in Houlton and volunteered at the Houlton Hospital for well over a decade.

In February 1980, Bob passed into Heaven and Marie remained in Houlton, continuing to perform valuable volunteer support to the hospital. In 2007, Marie moved to Portland to live with her daughter, Patty until she graduated to Heaven.

In addition to her husband of 34 years, she was predeceased by her brother, Jean two years earlier. She is survived by her son, Mark and his wife, Emily of Newnan, Georgia; her daughter, Jeanne Macbeth and her husband, Mike of Derby Line, Vermont; and Patty Fauk of Portland. Mary had four grandchildren who loved her very much: Vanessa Todhunter of Sharpsburg, Georgia and her husband, Joe; Nathan Fauk and his wife, Brittany of Rincon, Georgia; Aaron Macbeth and his wife, Amy of Milton, Vermont; and Timothy Macbeth of Lee, Mass. She had seven great-grandchildren with whom she was deeply in love: Cameron, Abrianna, Haley, Macy Rae, Casey Jo, Leila Rose, and Alana.

Mary’s family wishes to extend sincere thanks to the dedicated staff of Hospice of Southern Maine and The Gosnell House for the compassionate care they provided.

A Mass of Christian burial was held on Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 10:00 am at St. Josephs Church, 673 Stevens Avenue, Portland. Interment will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Houlton, Maine at a later date.

Donations or gifts in lieu of flowers may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or a local animal shelter of choice. Online condolences may be share with the family at www.athutchins.com.