To those who knew him, no one was as devoted to MSU as William Faunce.
Simply called Bill by his friends and family, the former MSU sociology professor and chairperson had a connection with the school from a young age, something he carried with him until his death from liver cancer July 3 at the age of 83.
“He really did lead a life that really was totally wrapped around the university,” said Faunce’s son, Eric Faunce. “He’s more than your average Spartan. … His level of dedication as a Spartan is something we can aspire to.”
From 1957 to 1992, Faunce worked in MSU’s Department of Sociology, after earning his bachelor’s degree from MSU in 1951. Unwavering loyalty led Faunce back to the university after leaving to complete his advanced degrees, Eric Faunce said.
Although he wrote a handful of textbooks in his chosen field, Faunce might be better-known for his pursuits outside of academia.
Faunce, together with five fellow faculty members and a Lansing musician, formed and played in a Dixieland jazz group known as the Geriatric Six Plus One starting in 1970. The group disbanded in 2009.
Faunce and his bandmates performed together prior to Spartan home football games for 31 years, even recording a series of albums. Together, the seven traveled to MSU bowl games and opened for Bob Hope.
“We did a whole lot of people a lot of good,” said Maurice Crane when recalling the band.
Crane was a long-time friend of Faunce’s and a fellow band member. Both lived down the street from one another and served on MSU’s faculty for the duration of their careers.
“He was incredibly smart, very witty, extremely talented in whatever he tried,” he said. “He was good at everything he did, and he did plenty.”
Crane said his friend also was well-liked by nearly everyone who knew him.
Faunce’s daughter, Nancy Faunce, said her father’s love of music spanned his entire life, even after he was turned away from MSU’s music school for playing the trumpet “too jazzy.” That led him toward psychology and his MSU career.
Nancy Faunce said there isn’t one specific trait she’ll remember about her father, but several.
“He didn’t fly off the handle,” Nancy Faunce said. “He was a really hard worker.”
Nancy Faunce said she also will remember her dad riding his bike to work everyday — the family lived on nearby Gunson Street, in East Lansing — and the fact that her father wrote all of his textbooks by hand.
The rest of his family recalls him similarly.
“He was a very dedicated father and husband,” said Eric Faunce. “I think he’ll be remembered most for his warmth and his sense of humor.”
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