In Honor of Bill Faude

Wilson Hinsdale Faude "Bill" died on May 22, 2017. Born February 20, 1946, he lived in Bloomfield, Farmington and West Hartford. He was the son of Helen Hinsdale Faude & John Paul Faude and the husband of Janet Bailey Faude. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, John Paul Faude, Jr. He is survived by his wife, their children Sarah Hinsdale Faude (Dan Anderson); Paul Bailey Faude; his sister Ann Faude Newbury (Sam). He graduated from the Junior School (Renbrook); Darrow School where he was a Prefect, Merit Scholarship semi-finalist and at graduation was awarded a Faculty Citation; Hobart College where he was a "Druid", the senior leadership society, and according to the press was one of the first students in the country to serve on a college's trustee presidential search committee with a voice and a vote. He also chaired the student/faculty campus committee for that search. At graduation he received the Canterbury Leadership award and an honorary diploma from the Dean of William Smith College. In 1969, after graduation, he was drafted into the Army. In the service his thoughts crystallized. He was opposed to the Vietnam conflict but loved his country. He applied to become a conscientious objector, to remain in the army as a non-combatant. His application was approved. In 1971 he completed his service and was honorably discharged with the rank of E-5. In 1975 he received his MA degree from Trinity College; his thesis published by the Winterthur Museum. He was a Licensed Lay-Reader in the Episcopal Church. In 1971 he was hired as the first curator of the Mark Twain House. Under the direction of Edie Salsbury, Robert Schutz, Jared Edwards and others, he supervised the scholarly restoration of the author's house. It received the Finley Award from the National Trust for excellence. For the house's centennial in 1974, he launched a multi-year campaign to put it on the national map, with articles in Antiques, Americana, Bon Appetite, an unprecedented three issues of National Geographic, appearances on television's Today show and "To Tell The Truth", among others. With the help of Gov. Grasso and Speaker Kennelly he secured highway signage on I-84, the first in the state for any attraction. He was a founding member of the group that saved the Old State House from demolition in 1975. From 1978-1982 and 1985-2001 he was the executive director of the landmark, enlivening the downtown with daily cannon firings, costumed interpreters, a window tax, historic reenactments; concerts, happenings and exhibits ranging from Latino art to Norman Rockwell, Connecticut crafts, the Boston Athenaeum, Zimbabwe, New Yorker Cartoons and Hartford Street Gangs. For his efforts to open the landmark to all, the United Way nominated him for the Voice of Conscience Award. He restored Steward's Museum complete with a two-headed calf and a two-headed pig. U.S. Presidents and presidential candidates again visited the site; senatorial and gubernatorial debates filled the halls; the state senate met in its chamber; Amistad reenactments were held where the trial occurred. The achievement of which he was most proud was saving the Old State House's east lawn from the city of Hartford's proposal to replace it with bus lanes. He managed to engage corporate leaders under Gordon Ulmer, Bank of New England, and Hartford Courant's editor Irving Kravsow. The city was relentless, determined to have its way, and considered a resolution (2/9/1987) to deny his free speech simply because he opposed their plan. Only eternal vigilance will save that historic acreage from future encroachments or elimination. In 1981 he co-created Riverfest, Hartford's July 4th celebration, returning fireworks to the city after years of absence. In 2002 he became executive director emeritus. He later served as a guest curator at the Wadsworth Atheneum, archivist for the Hartford Town/City clerk. He received the Civitan Man of the Year award; the Thomas Hooker Award for Community Service; the Distinguished Advocate for the Arts award; PRSA's merit award; and listed in Who's Who in America 1994. His needlepoint won 1st prize at the Eastern States Exposition 1997, 2011. He was a Cow Parade artist in 2003, 2007. He authored 14 books on Hartford and Connecticut history. In 1966 he was a Winant Volunteer in Bermondsey, England, London's gritty east end slum, working with the best people on earth. He served on the Connecticut Commission of the Arts; the Connecticut Historical Commission, 12 years as chair; the Historic Preservation Council; the Governor's Residence Conservancy; the boards of the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, the Stowe Center, the Connecticut Volunteer Services for the Blind and Handicapped (CVSBH), Renbrook School, Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame, the Founders of Hartford, among others. Since 1986, he volunteered for the Greater Hartford Unit of the Talking Books Program for the Blind (CVSBH). The memorial service will be held on Friday, June 2 at 1 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church, 679 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. Burial with military honors will be private at the convenience of the family and there are no calling hours.