Faith Wiesner Obituary

Faith was born in Caldwell, NJ on July 2, 1931 to David H. Dugan, Jr. and Marjorie S. Dugan. She graduated from Grover Cleveland High School in 1949 and went on to Wheaton College (IL) where she majored in piano performance and took lessons in organ. Both instruments would prove to be major areas of service in her life, as she felt it was her purpose to bring joy to others through music.

She graduated in three years from Wheaton College and married Bill Hayden on June 21, 1952. They had four children together. While raising their children, Faith completed a Master of Arts degree in piano pedagogy at Columbia University’s Teachers College under the tutelage of world-famous piano pedagogue Robert Pace, whose teaching method she emulated in her own studio. Greatly enthused with the Pace method, she continued her studies with him at Columbia and completed the prestigious Professional Diploma in piano pedagogy. Devoted to excellence in both her students and in her own performance, she had two Steinway upright pianos in her teaching studio and a Steinway grand piano in the living room.

As a church musician, Faith held many positions as church organist and choir director in multiple denominations, including Episcopal, Lutheran and Presbyterian churches. She also taught hymnology at Nyack Missionary College (NY). Faith was the pianist for the Montclair Operetta Club and the Bloomfield High School chorus. As the concert manager and accompanist for the Newark Boys Chorus (NJ), she went with them to the People’s Republic of China.

Faith enjoyed and brought her children to Lake George, NY where her parents and other family members vacationed on their lakeside properties. She married Wilfried Wiesner on August 9, 1981. Upon his retirement, they moved to the Lake George region where she continued her love for music, continuing to teach lessons and play the organ in various churches. She participated in the lives of her local grandchildren, took walks with her husband around Assembly Point on Lake George, and thoroughly enjoyed the Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra concerts.

Faith was preceded in death by her infant son James Bradford Hayden, her parents David and Marjorie Dugan, her brother Richard Dugan, her first husband William Hayden, and her second husband Wilfried Wiesner. She is survived by her son Bill (Nancy) Hayden of Knoxville, TN; her daughters Debi (Joel) Inch of West Chicago, IL; Barbie (Chuck) Wright of Queensbury, NY; Nancy (Tom) Hueber of Kansas City, MO; and Wil Wiesner’s children: Paul (Leslie) Wiesner, Joanne Wiesner, and Chris Wiesner. She is also survived by her sister Debbie (Bob) Johnson, sister-in-law Carol Dugan, and brothers David (Cheryl) Dugan, Don (Karen) Dugan, Billy (Pam) Dugan; and many nieces and nephews.

She loved her eleven grandchildren Emily (Josh) Hanson, Jeffrey Hayden, Jennifer Hayden, Jessica Siletzky, Billy (Esther) Inch, Bethany (Michael) Biggs, Stephen Sheridan, Nick (Nikita) Sheridan, Brittany (Kevin) Tallaksen, Megan (Joel) Gordon, Ben Hueber, and fifteen great grandchildren who were her delight.

Faith enjoyed so many around her, whether they were family, neighbors, church and choir friends, or piano students. She enjoyed gardening, knitting, swimming, and reading her Bible. She also found fulfillment in her earlier years volunteering on the West Essex First Aid Squad. Her final years were spent in a quiet and peaceful setting at Windsor Park, where she received so much loving care from the staff members. There she was able to share her gift of music through the piano and her gift of friendship to so many residents.

As her life had been filled with beautiful and joyful times, Faith’s homecoming was ever so gently guided by her Lord and Savior, Who tenderly and mercifully lifted her from her rocking chair and into His loving arms. She was deeply loved and will be missed by all her family and friends.

A memorial service will be held in New Jersey at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to:

Samaritan’s Purse

P.O. Box 3000

Boone, NC 28607