Thomas Llewellyn Faix

Thomas Llewellyn Faix of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, died peacefully at age 97 on January 30, 2023. He was born April 17, 1925, in Philadelphia to Ethel and August Faix. His family moved to his true hometown of Milford, Delaware, in 1929.  After graduating high school, he joined the US Marine Corps in 1943 at age 18. He was sent to Princeton for officer training. When the war ended in 1945, he attended Princeton on the GI Bill, graduating with honors in 1947. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War, and was then in the reserves, retiring with the rank of Colonel. He taught public school in Milford from 1953-1960. He was active in Delaware Junior Chamber of Commerce, attending the World Congress in Tokyo in 1957, followed by a trip around the world. He attended Harvard (on the Korea GI Bill) for his master’s degree and the University of Wisconsin for his Ph.D., both in the field of education.

During his military career, and while in the hospital, he met Eleanor Roosevelt. While attending Princeton he ran into (with his bicycle) Albert Einstein.

Tom taught variously at Macalester College and at the University of Minnesota, St. John’s University, and Minnesota State University Moorhead. He served as principal at Porcupine Day School on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and also at Circle of Life School on the White Earth Reservation. He was passionate towards education opportunities for Chinese women and made a trip to China.  

He played high school football, rowed at Princeton (last outing in 2002 at his 55^th reunion; he kept fit on his own rowing machine), was a runner, skier, cyclist, and a regular at the fitness center. For many years he was a guest columnist for the Detroit Lakes paper and interviewed Princeton applicants in the Midwest.

Throughout his life Tom was active in his local Methodist church, always desiring to live a life in witness to the Gospel. He was a solo and choral singer, acted as a lay speaker, and loved to play the piano.

Tom maintained a huge correspondence with siblings, nieces and nephews, former students, friends, and with representatives and senators and presidents, as he was an activist in many areas, especially in the area of Native American issues.

Tom is survived by sister-in-law Euxine Faix, numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers William and Richard, his sister Marjorie, also brother-in-law J. J. Brown and sister-in-law Millie Faix.

A memorial service is set for Friday, February 3 at 11 a.m. at Detroit Lakes Methodist Church.