Faith Wilmot died on Jan. 10, 2026 in Coralville, and her Celebration of Life was on Saturday, May 25, at the Unitarian Universalist Society. Faith was one of our small gang of locals who did politics. We met during the 2004 John Kerry campaign for president. Faith was for Howard Dean. She was a lot more than her politics.
My fondest memory was while I was walking in our annual parade through the City of Solon. She walked up to the curb with her adopted young daughter Miracle. It was something to see them together, Mother teaching Daughter about life in the community. More than most people Faith was part of the fabric of our community, her bright colors standing out in the warp and weft of a society we made.
The election day dinners Faith and Monique hosted in their home were legion. She started a turkey early in the day and we all brought side dishes to serve with it. With a house full of food aromas we made the last minute telephone contacts around their large dinner table. If we couldn’t reach someone on our list, one of us drove over to their house to see if they were home. There were more than a few last minute dispatches to drive people to the polls when they couldn’t get there without us. We worked until every contact was made before the polls closed.
At the memorial someone referred to us as the “Solon Mafia,” although they said it was a positive thing. I replied, it’s not like we were trying to bump anyone off. After some reflection, they said, there are a few that maybe you should. We all pulled together on election day and were better for it.
Faith had been ill before moving to Coralville and the illness eventually took her from us. We all moved on yet will remember Faith as a shining light in a world of meanness. I don’t think Faith knew how to be mean, especially with people she knew. May she rest in peace.
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