Jean Keeler was born on March 19, 1937, in Hartney, Manitoba, Canada, to Arthur and Ethel Keeler. Robert F. Faircloth was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, on September 30, 1936, to William G. and Kathleen B. Faircloth. Jean and Robert were married in Hartney on July 27, 1957.
Jean graduated from Manitoba Teacher’s College in 1957 and taught in Ontario and Manitoba schools until the birth of their son, Kenneth, in 1959. The couple went on to have daughters Laurie Ann, Susan, and Lisa.
Robert entered the University of Manitoba at age fifteen and graduated with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Geology and Chemistry in 1956. His summers were spent on geological field trips in the Yukon Territory and other Northern areas of Western Canada.
Jean was supportive of Robert’s career throughout their marriage. Robert’s career began in geology and chemical engineering in the oil and chemical industries. Among his accomplishments was the building and operating of a nylon fiber plant for Union Carbide in 1965. In 1973 he joined the Huyck Corporation, a manufacturer of paper machinery components and was soon transferred to Europe, where he supervised the foreign operations in Australia, Italy, and South America among other countries.
When BTR, plc purchased Huyck in 1986, Robert headed the Paper division and relocated to Boston. In 1989, he became BTR’s Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Worldwide Operations including those in the Automotive, Aerospace, Construction, and Valve Manufacturing sectors, among others. He was headquarters in London during that period and retired in 1995 when he and Jean moved to Savannah.
Robert served as a Board Member of BTR, and National Grid, the UK power distributor. He also became involved on many regional cultural Boards as a Director including the Savannah Music Festival, Savannah Children’s Choir, Savannah Jazz Association, Telfair Museums, Savannah Book Festival, and The United Way.
Jean was involved with children’s educational programs wherever the couple lived. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the Savannah Music Festival, the Savannah Book Festival, and was a competitive golfer during her life in Savannah.
Together, Jean and Robert led the capital campaign for the expansion of the New London Hospital in New Hampshire, where there is now a Faircloth Wing dedicated to their efforts.
Jean died on February 1, 2017, in New London, New Hampshire.
As a long-time supporter of the Georgia Historical Society, Robert established the Robert F. and Jean E. Faircloth Fund in 2024, ensuring that their commitment to the Georgia Historical Society will continue in perpetuity.