Former Quitman coach dies

By By Steve Swogetinsky / special to The Star
June 30, 2004
Charles Faulkner, the former athletic director and football coach at Quitman High School, died Tuesday afternoon of a massive heart attack. He was 64.
Faulkner, a member of the Mississippi Association of Coaches Hall of Fame, was serving as the head football coach at Oak Hill Academy in West Point. He and some of his coaches were working on the school gym when he became ill.
Faulkner coached for seven
seasons at Quitman High School. During that time, he oversaw the design and construction of the new field house and practice facility. He retired after the 2001 season. He and his family moved back to Okolona and he took the coaching position at Oak Hills.
Grubbs, who is an assistant football coach at Shannon High School, worked for Faulkner at Alcorn Central. They stayed there for one season and then went to Okolona High School for 15 seasons. In 1993, Okolona beat Taylorsville for the 2A State Championship. Faulkner and Grubbs later came to Quitman High School.
The football field at Okolona High School is named in Faulkner's honor. One of his former players, Tim Bowen, is a defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins.
And while he is remembered as a football coach, those who knew Faulkner remember how important his Christian faith was to him.
Scotty Peden, a friend and fellow church member at First Baptist Church of Quitman, wrote down something in her bible she heard coach Faulkner said.
Last week, Faulkner and his son, Steven, had been on a mission trip with the youth of Okolona First Baptist Church.
One strong memory many have is how after each ball game, he called both teams to the center of the field. Win or lose, he would congratulate the players for both teams. He would give his Christian testimony and then would lead them in a word of prayer.
Faulkner was a graduate of Mississippi College. He was a former Golden Gloves boxing champion.
Funeral arrangements were incomplete Tuesday night. Visitation was tentatively set for Thursday night at Okoloma Baptist Church with services planned for Friday morning.