Earline S. Falker

February 2, 1928 - January 28, 2021

Earline Falker was a women of God, servant to many causes, strong, independent, mother of four, a grandmother of seven, great-grandmother of five, a teacher, a world traveler, and a member of Union Memorial United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women (UMW) for nearly fifty years. The fourth of eight children, Henry, Norah, Bobby, Russell, Elone, Lynette, and Johnny, born to William Smith and Lessie Garrett Smith, Earline Falker served as a guidebook to family, friends, and those she encountered on leading a life of strength, dignity, possibilities, and those she encountered on leading a life of and Christian compassion for others. To Earline, education was important. She received her bachelor's in physical education from Talladega College in Talladega, Alabama, in 1949. Later she received her master's degree from Washington University in Health and Physical Education. Earline continued her education and completed most of the requirements toward a Ph.D. before stopping to concentrate on family and career. On September 7, 1950, Earline eloped and married Eugene Lofton Falker, the love of her life. To that union were born three sons, Frederick, Keith, Wesley, and a daughter Christy. On faith and to provide for her family, she & her husband Eugene moved their family from Anderson, IN, to St. Louis, MO in 1961, where Earline took a position as a program director for Phyllis Wheatly YWCA. Later, she moved into the St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS), where she served as a physical education teacher for almost thirty years. During her tenure with the SLPS, Earline coached track and field, swimming, basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics. After retiring from SLPS, she devoted her life to serving others. Earline Falker truly embodied the mission statement of the United Methodist Women. She indeed was a child of God, a woman of faith, and a warrior for Christ. She served faithfully in numerous capacities, including Women's Prison Ministries, the Shalom House for women suffering from homelessness, the Kingdom House, and the Ribbon Coordinator for the Union Memorial United Methodist Women (UMW). A world traveler, Earline traveled extensively throughout the United States, Africa, and Europe, went on over thirty cruises with dear friends, family, and alone. One of the most valued trips was to the Holy Land, where she had the opportunity to experience the places where Jesus walked and preached. Her love of sports and family was evidenced by her attending countless basketball games from Florida to Alaska to watch her grandsons, Justin & Randal, play. Always stressing the importance of education, she traveled to attend the college graduations for each of her four adult grandchildren Aja in Ithaca, NY, Justin in Columbia, MO, Randal in Carbondale, Il and Erin in Palo Alto, CA. As a grandmother, Earline supported her youngest grandchildren's educational, physical, and spiritual growth and development through various activities. Earline is survived by her loving youngest brother Johnny Smith, daughter Christy, sons, Frederick (Wanda), Keith, Wesley (Ann), grandchildren Aja, Justin, Randal, Erin, Keith Jr, Kourtney, and Kyle, and great-grandchildren, Brianne, Sofia, Mireille, Bennett, and Sibylla.