Drude Faulconer's Obituary
Drude Faulconer passed away peacefully on Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023. Drude was born in
Frederick, Oklahoma, on June 13, 1935. He was a Proud Frederick Bomber. Drude attended
college at the University of Oklahoma, majoring in Petroleum Engineering, which sparked his
love of OU football. Drude then attended George Washington School of Law, where he
completed his Juris Doctorate, while working at the Patent Office in Washington DC. In DC, he
met his wife of over sixty years, Nancy Shea.
Drude maintained a successful career as a patent attorney. He worked at NASA, where he wrote
the patent on the first space helmet. He then worked at ExxonMobil, where he wrote patents on
a variety of different oil and gas machines, before settling into a prosperous private practice in
Dallas and Richardson, TX.
Drude held OU football season tickets for over thirty years with his lifelong best friend, Percy
Smith, and was always rooting on his Sooners. Aside from OU football and softball, Drude
enjoyed traveling with his wife, Nancy, his children, grandchildren, and friends. One of the
biggest joys of Drude’s life was being Poppy to his four granddaughters, who he affectionately
referred to as his "babies".
Drude is survived by his son, Derek Faulconer (Dianna), daughter, Melissa Faulconer Sutton
(David), granddaughters, Abby Sutton, Ashlyn Sutton, Annie Sutton, and Shea Faulconer,
grandson, David Sutton (Katie), and great-grandson, David Brooks Sutton. Drude is also
survived by his sisters, Patsy Ballard (Doyle Ballard) and Sharon Walker, many nieces and
nephews, countless friends, and his beloved chihuahuas, Molly and Stevie.
Drude is preceded in death by his wife, Nancy, daughter, Heidi, parents, Martha Goodnough and
Drude Faulconer, brothers, Howard “Buck” Faulconer and Claude “Sonny” Goodnough Jr, and
sister, Lois Wekerle.
Please join the family for a service of remembrance on Saturday April 22, 2023, at 10:00 am at
Wildwood Chapel at Restland Memorial Park 13005 Greenville Ave. Dallas, Texas 75243 with a
reception to follow at Restland.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in his name to St Judes Research Hospital or Scottish
Rite Shriners Hospital for Children..
Service:Saturday, April 22nd, 2023@10:00 AM
Wildwood Chapel at Restland Memorial Park
13005 Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75243
What’s your fondest memory of Drude?
What’s a lesson you learned from Drude?
Share a story where Drude's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Drude you’ll never forget.
How did Drude make you smile?
