Baha'i World Vol 16
JAMES VASSAL FACEY
1896- 1975
James Vassal Facey passed to the Abha kingdom on 9 July 1975. He lived an exemplary
Baha'i life, one that was completely dedicated to Baha'u'llah's service. His goal was total commitment
to the Cause he loved so dearly and to which he contributed his utmost for thirty years.
Jim and his wife Gladys- called Maisie by her friends - accepted the Baha'i Faith in June
1945 and were among the first harvest of souls who responded to the teaching efforts of Cora
Oliver and Louise Caswell who opened Panama to the Faith in 1939. Mr. and Mrs. Facey shared
the distinction of appearing on the membership roll of Panama's earliest believers and were
among the first five privileged to promote the Cause of God in Panama.
Born in Jamaica on 8 August 1896, James Facey came as a boy to Colon, the ancient
Atlantic seaport of Panama, with his widowed mother. While she worked to support herself
and her son, Jim lived in the home of an Anglican priest, Father Edward Cooper, and
went to school. As a youth, he served as acolyte in the church of which Father Cooper was
pastor. As Jim grew to manhood, both Father Cooper and his mother encouraged him to
study for the ministry. At first Jim accepted training for this vocation but he became increasingly
dissatisfied with doctrinal teachings and finally was convinced that the ministry was not
for him. He stopped attending school and feeling that under the circumstances he could no
longer accept the hospitality of Father Cooper he left the parsonage and found employment in
the Colon Import and Export Company where he remained as accountant for over fifty years.
In 1924 he met and married a young Colon secretary, Gladys Abrahams, who was also a
free thinker in matters of religion. They agreed that they would not affiliate with any church
and, for the next twenty years, they practised no formal religion, though a high moral standard
of conduct was practised in the home and their four children, Cedric, Kathleen, Alicia and
Betty, were exhorted to achieve an education.
In the early 1940s, Maisie met the two pioneers who were then living in Colon, Cora and
Louise, and became attracted to the Baha'i teachings. After a course of serious study it did
not take the Faceys long to realize that they were Baha'is and they applied for membership.
One other student who was attending the class, Iola Edwards, was accepted formally as a member
with the Faceys, and thus was formed the first Baha'i group in Colon, the second largest
city in Panama.
When the first Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in Colon, circa 1950, both Jim and
Maisie were members. Jim was elected as treasurer, a service he rendered all the rest of his life.
Their daughter, Kathleen, declared her faith in 1953 and their daughter, Alicia, the following
year. The girls were in their early twenties and both served on the Local Assembly.
Jim was a member of the regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central America and the
Antilles which came into being in 1951 and served as treasurer of that body until 1957 when
the regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central America was formed. When an independent
National Spiritual Assembly was established in Panama in 1961 he was again
elected as treasurer and in this office continued to render faithful and dedicated service until
1968. The National Spiritual Assembly of Panama was assigned the groundwork responsibility,
under the guidance of the Universal House of Justice, for the acquisition of a
site and the subsequent construction of the Mother Temple of Latin America. His dedication
to the work relating to the construction of the first Baha'i House of Worship on the soil
of Panama knew no bounds. When he was appointed as one of the readers at the dedication
of the Temple in April 1972, his gratitude for this bounty was immeasurable.
Jim's total commitment to the Cause of Baha'u'llah was readily apparent to all those
who came into contact with him. To him, the Cause was like an ocean, and he was a fish
swimming in this ocean. He taught the Faith for thirty years with a steadfastness which was as
natural as breathing. The stranger sitting beside him on a public park bench, his fellow passenger
on a bus, train or plane, within seconds would hear, however briefly, of the Baha'i Faith. His
ever-burning zeal to present to others the verities of Baha'u'llah's teachings was perhaps his
greatest weakness in that his patience with anyone reluctant to recognize or accept was
often thin. Being so totally convinced himself, he could not understand how anyone could fail
to see the truth. He avidly supported extension teaching projects on the national and local levels
and he placed into circulation countless Baha'i books and pamphlets. He would never write a
letter to a non-Baha'i which did not contain some reference to the Faith .
Jim had a keen grasp of the administrative principles of the Faith. He studied this aspect of
the Faith avidly and applied the principles in his relationship to his fellow Baha'is as members of
institutions or on a personal plane. Always an outstanding example of loyalty to these divinely
inspired guidelines, he expected the same loyalty from others. As his service to the Colon
Import and Export Company lengthened, he was increasingly able to arrange his vacations to
coincide with Baha'i conferences and institutes, both in Panama and abroad, and made an effort
to attend as many as possible, it giving him much satisfaction that he was able to finance his
own travelling expenses thereby saving the struggling national fund thousands of dollars. In
1952 he was privileged to witness the dedication of the Mother Temple of the West in Wilmette,
Illinois and he was also present at the All America Intercontinental Teaching Conference
in Chicago in 1953 when the Ten Year Crusade was launched. He attended the International
Convention in Haifa in 1963 for the first election of the Universal House of Justice
and served as a teller during that epoch-making event. When the Faceys embraced the Baha'i Faith
they became targets for taunts and ridicule from friends and members of the clergy who prophesied
that their allegiance to this 'strange cult' was destined to be short lived, that they would
soon abandon it in disillusion. Jim's faith was exposed to yet another test when the beloved
Guardian announced that Baha'is should resign their membership in secret organizations including
Freemasonry. A prominent member of the Masonic Lodge for years, Jim unhesitatingly
dissociated himself from this fraternal tie. For him, there could be no other course; the
Baha'i Faith was the most important thing in his life.
Five years before his final illness, Jim retired from business and built a new home at Puerto
Pilon, a suburb of Colon, where he laid out and planted an extensive garden. He remained
interested, active and in good health until his late seventies, continuing to carry on his Local
Assembly duties and private teaching and making an occasional trip.
He was ill for only three months before his death and passed away quietly with Maisie
sitting beside him. We know that when the history of the Baha'i Faith in Panama is written,
and 'Abdu'l-Baha's prophecy about Panama's role in the development of the Faith shall have
been fulfilled, James Facey's contributions to its earliest stages will merit singular recognition.
... ye must give great attention to the Republic of Panama ... That place will become
very important in the future. The teachings, once established there, will unite the East and
West, the North and South.
'Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan
From Anet Facey on 2 Feb 2023
RE: James Vassal Facey
as for the gravestone there is none only a plaque with the number. and we did not want anything special for his grave as we consider all was given in life. he will desire the same. the cemetery is Garden of Peace a private cemetery in our country. in reference to the memories you have published we the Facey family do agree with all the loving words and memories well written and accurate. it was at the beginning on how he was raised by great-grandma Margaret and how/were he met granny Gladys that it was a bit different. but we agreed that most likely, grandpa and granny wanted this version of their lives and we agree to keep it as it is also in respect of the Universal House of Justice. on be half of the Facey´s we would like to thank you for taking the time writing about our beloved grandparents and we do apologize for any inconvenience.
JAMES VASSAL FACEY
1896- 1975
James Vassal Facey passed to the Abha kingdom on 9 July 1975. He lived an exemplary
Baha'i life, one that was completely dedicated to Baha'u'llah's service. His goal was total commitment
to the Cause he loved so dearly and to which he contributed his utmost for thirty years.
Jim and his wife Gladys- called Maisie by her friends - accepted the Baha'i Faith in June
1945 and were among the first harvest of souls who responded to the teaching efforts of Cora
Oliver and Louise Caswell who opened Panama to the Faith in 1939. Mr. and Mrs. Facey shared
the distinction of appearing on the membership roll of Panama's earliest believers and were
among the first five privileged to promote the Cause of God in Panama.
Born in Jamaica on 8 August 1896, James Facey came as a boy to Colon, the ancient
Atlantic seaport of Panama, with his widowed mother. While she worked to support herself
and her son, Jim lived in the home of an Anglican priest, Father Edward Cooper, and
went to school. As a youth, he served as acolyte in the church of which Father Cooper was
pastor. As Jim grew to manhood, both Father Cooper and his mother encouraged him to
study for the ministry. At first Jim accepted training for this vocation but he became increasingly
dissatisfied with doctrinal teachings and finally was convinced that the ministry was not
for him. He stopped attending school and feeling that under the circumstances he could no
longer accept the hospitality of Father Cooper he left the parsonage and found employment in
the Colon Import and Export Company where he remained as accountant for over fifty years.
In 1924 he met and married a young Colon secretary, Gladys Abrahams, who was also a
free thinker in matters of religion. They agreed that they would not affiliate with any church
and, for the next twenty years, they practised no formal religion, though a high moral standard
of conduct was practised in the home and their four children, Cedric, Kathleen, Alicia and
Betty, were exhorted to achieve an education.
In the early 1940s, Maisie met the two pioneers who were then living in Colon, Cora and
Louise, and became attracted to the Baha'i teachings. After a course of serious study it did
not take the Faceys long to realize that they were Baha'is and they applied for membership.
One other student who was attending the class, Iola Edwards, was accepted formally as a member
with the Faceys, and thus was formed the first Baha'i group in Colon, the second largest
city in Panama.
When the first Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in Colon, circa 1950, both Jim and
Maisie were members. Jim was elected as treasurer, a service he rendered all the rest of his life.
Their daughter, Kathleen, declared her faith in 1953 and their daughter, Alicia, the following
year. The girls were in their early twenties and both served on the Local Assembly.
Jim was a member of the regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central America and the
Antilles which came into being in 1951 and served as treasurer of that body until 1957 when
the regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central America was formed. When an independent
National Spiritual Assembly was established in Panama in 1961 he was again
elected as treasurer and in this office continued to render faithful and dedicated service until
1968. The National Spiritual Assembly of Panama was assigned the groundwork responsibility,
under the guidance of the Universal House of Justice, for the acquisition of a
site and the subsequent construction of the Mother Temple of Latin America. His dedication
to the work relating to the construction of the first Baha'i House of Worship on the soil
of Panama knew no bounds. When he was appointed as one of the readers at the dedication
of the Temple in April 1972, his gratitude for this bounty was immeasurable.
Jim's total commitment to the Cause of Baha'u'llah was readily apparent to all those
who came into contact with him. To him, the Cause was like an ocean, and he was a fish
swimming in this ocean. He taught the Faith for thirty years with a steadfastness which was as
natural as breathing. The stranger sitting beside him on a public park bench, his fellow passenger
on a bus, train or plane, within seconds would hear, however briefly, of the Baha'i Faith. His
ever-burning zeal to present to others the verities of Baha'u'llah's teachings was perhaps his
greatest weakness in that his patience with anyone reluctant to recognize or accept was
often thin. Being so totally convinced himself, he could not understand how anyone could fail
to see the truth. He avidly supported extension teaching projects on the national and local levels
and he placed into circulation countless Baha'i books and pamphlets. He would never write a
letter to a non-Baha'i which did not contain some reference to the Faith .
Jim had a keen grasp of the administrative principles of the Faith. He studied this aspect of
the Faith avidly and applied the principles in his relationship to his fellow Baha'is as members of
institutions or on a personal plane. Always an outstanding example of loyalty to these divinely
inspired guidelines, he expected the same loyalty from others. As his service to the Colon
Import and Export Company lengthened, he was increasingly able to arrange his vacations to
coincide with Baha'i conferences and institutes, both in Panama and abroad, and made an effort
to attend as many as possible, it giving him much satisfaction that he was able to finance his
own travelling expenses thereby saving the struggling national fund thousands of dollars. In
1952 he was privileged to witness the dedication of the Mother Temple of the West in Wilmette,
Illinois and he was also present at the All America Intercontinental Teaching Conference
in Chicago in 1953 when the Ten Year Crusade was launched. He attended the International
Convention in Haifa in 1963 for the first election of the Universal House of Justice
and served as a teller during that epoch-making event. When the Faceys embraced the Baha'i Faith
they became targets for taunts and ridicule from friends and members of the clergy who prophesied
that their allegiance to this 'strange cult' was destined to be short lived, that they would
soon abandon it in disillusion. Jim's faith was exposed to yet another test when the beloved
Guardian announced that Baha'is should resign their membership in secret organizations including
Freemasonry. A prominent member of the Masonic Lodge for years, Jim unhesitatingly
dissociated himself from this fraternal tie. For him, there could be no other course; the
Baha'i Faith was the most important thing in his life.
Five years before his final illness, Jim retired from business and built a new home at Puerto
Pilon, a suburb of Colon, where he laid out and planted an extensive garden. He remained
interested, active and in good health until his late seventies, continuing to carry on his Local
Assembly duties and private teaching and making an occasional trip.
He was ill for only three months before his death and passed away quietly with Maisie
sitting beside him. We know that when the history of the Baha'i Faith in Panama is written,
and 'Abdu'l-Baha's prophecy about Panama's role in the development of the Faith shall have
been fulfilled, James Facey's contributions to its earliest stages will merit singular recognition.
... ye must give great attention to the Republic of Panama ... That place will become
very important in the future. The teachings, once established there, will unite the East and
West, the North and South.
'Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan
From Anet Facey on 2 Feb 2023
RE: James Vassal Facey
as for the gravestone there is none only a plaque with the number. and we did not want anything special for his grave as we consider all was given in life. he will desire the same. the cemetery is Garden of Peace a private cemetery in our country. in reference to the memories you have published we the Facey family do agree with all the loving words and memories well written and accurate. it was at the beginning on how he was raised by great-grandma Margaret and how/were he met granny Gladys that it was a bit different. but we agreed that most likely, grandpa and granny wanted this version of their lives and we agree to keep it as it is also in respect of the Universal House of Justice. on be half of the Facey´s we would like to thank you for taking the time writing about our beloved grandparents and we do apologize for any inconvenience.
Baha'i World Vol 16
JAMES VASSAL FACEY
1896- 1975
James Vassal Facey passed to the Abha kingdom on 9 July 1975. He lived an exemplary
Baha'i life, one that was completely dedicated to Baha'u'llah's service. His goal was total commitment
to the Cause he loved so dearly and to which he contributed his utmost for thirty years.
Jim and his wife Gladys- called Maisie by her friends - accepted the Baha'i Faith in June
1945 and were among the first harvest of souls who responded to the teaching efforts of Cora
Oliver and Louise Caswell who opened Panama to the Faith in 1939. Mr. and Mrs. Facey shared
the distinction of appearing on the membership roll of Panama's earliest believers and were
among the first five privileged to promote the Cause of God in Panama.
Born in Jamaica on 8 August 1896, James Facey came as a boy to Colon, the ancient
Atlantic seaport of Panama, with his widowed mother. While she worked to support herself
and her son, Jim lived in the home of an Anglican priest, Father Edward Cooper, and
went to school. As a youth, he served as acolyte in the church of which Father Cooper was
pastor. As Jim grew to manhood, both Father Cooper and his mother encouraged him to
study for the ministry. At first Jim accepted training for this vocation but he became increasingly
dissatisfied with doctrinal teachings and finally was convinced that the ministry was not
for him. He stopped attending school and feeling that under the circumstances he could no
longer accept the hospitality of Father Cooper he left the parsonage and found employment in
the Colon Import and Export Company where he remained as accountant for over fifty years.
In 1924 he met and married a young Colon secretary, Gladys Abrahams, who was also a
free thinker in matters of religion. They agreed that they would not affiliate with any church
and, for the next twenty years, they practised no formal religion, though a high moral standard
of conduct was practised in the home and their four children, Cedric, Kathleen, Alicia and
Betty, were exhorted to achieve an education.
In the early 1940s, Maisie met the two pioneers who were then living in Colon, Cora and
Louise, and became attracted to the Baha'i teachings. After a course of serious study it did
not take the Faceys long to realize that they were Baha'is and they applied for membership.
One other student who was attending the class, Iola Edwards, was accepted formally as a member
with the Faceys, and thus was formed the first Baha'i group in Colon, the second largest
city in Panama.
When the first Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in Colon, circa 1950, both Jim and
Maisie were members. Jim was elected as treasurer, a service he rendered all the rest of his life.
Their daughter, Kathleen, declared her faith in 1953 and their daughter, Alicia, the following
year. The girls were in their early twenties and both served on the Local Assembly.
Jim was a member of the regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central America and the
Antilles which came into being in 1951 and served as treasurer of that body until 1957 when
the regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central America was formed. When an independent
National Spiritual Assembly was established in Panama in 1961 he was again
elected as treasurer and in this office continued to render faithful and dedicated service until
1968. The National Spiritual Assembly of Panama was assigned the groundwork responsibility,
under the guidance of the Universal House of Justice, for the acquisition of a
site and the subsequent construction of the Mother Temple of Latin America. His dedication
to the work relating to the construction of the first Baha'i House of Worship on the soil
of Panama knew no bounds. When he was appointed as one of the readers at the dedication
of the Temple in April 1972, his gratitude for this bounty was immeasurable.
Jim's total commitment to the Cause of Baha'u'llah was readily apparent to all those
who came into contact with him. To him, the Cause was like an ocean, and he was a fish
swimming in this ocean. He taught the Faith for thirty years with a steadfastness which was as
natural as breathing. The stranger sitting beside him on a public park bench, his fellow passenger
on a bus, train or plane, within seconds would hear, however briefly, of the Baha'i Faith. His
ever-burning zeal to present to others the verities of Baha'u'llah's teachings was perhaps his
greatest weakness in that his patience with anyone reluctant to recognize or accept was
often thin. Being so totally convinced himself, he could not understand how anyone could fail
to see the truth. He avidly supported extension teaching projects on the national and local levels
and he placed into circulation countless Baha'i books and pamphlets. He would never write a
letter to a non-Baha'i which did not contain some reference to the Faith .
Jim had a keen grasp of the administrative principles of the Faith. He studied this aspect of
the Faith avidly and applied the principles in his relationship to his fellow Baha'is as members of
institutions or on a personal plane. Always an outstanding example of loyalty to these divinely
inspired guidelines, he expected the same loyalty from others. As his service to the Colon
Import and Export Company lengthened, he was increasingly able to arrange his vacations to
coincide with Baha'i conferences and institutes, both in Panama and abroad, and made an effort
to attend as many as possible, it giving him much satisfaction that he was able to finance his
own travelling expenses thereby saving the struggling national fund thousands of dollars. In
1952 he was privileged to witness the dedication of the Mother Temple of the West in Wilmette,
Illinois and he was also present at the All America Intercontinental Teaching Conference
in Chicago in 1953 when the Ten Year Crusade was launched. He attended the International
Convention in Haifa in 1963 for the first election of the Universal House of Justice
and served as a teller during that epoch-making event. When the Faceys embraced the Baha'i Faith
they became targets for taunts and ridicule from friends and members of the clergy who prophesied
that their allegiance to this 'strange cult' was destined to be short lived, that they would
soon abandon it in disillusion. Jim's faith was exposed to yet another test when the beloved
Guardian announced that Baha'is should resign their membership in secret organizations including
Freemasonry. A prominent member of the Masonic Lodge for years, Jim unhesitatingly
dissociated himself from this fraternal tie. For him, there could be no other course; the
Baha'i Faith was the most important thing in his life.
Five years before his final illness, Jim retired from business and built a new home at Puerto
Pilon, a suburb of Colon, where he laid out and planted an extensive garden. He remained
interested, active and in good health until his late seventies, continuing to carry on his Local
Assembly duties and private teaching and making an occasional trip.
He was ill for only three months before his death and passed away quietly with Maisie
sitting beside him. We know that when the history of the Baha'i Faith in Panama is written,
and 'Abdu'l-Baha's prophecy about Panama's role in the development of the Faith shall have
been fulfilled, James Facey's contributions to its earliest stages will merit singular recognition.
... ye must give great attention to the Republic of Panama ... That place will become
very important in the future. The teachings, once established there, will unite the East and
West, the North and South.
'Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan
From Anet Facey on 2 Feb 2023
RE: James Vassal Facey
as for the gravestone there is none only a plaque with the number. and we did not want anything special for his grave as we consider all was given in life. he will desire the same. the cemetery is Garden of Peace a private cemetery in our country. in reference to the memories you have published we the Facey family do agree with all the loving words and memories well written and accurate. it was at the beginning on how he was raised by great-grandma Margaret and how/were he met granny Gladys that it was a bit different. but we agreed that most likely, grandpa and granny wanted this version of their lives and we agree to keep it as it is also in respect of the Universal House of Justice. on be half of the Facey´s we would like to thank you for taking the time writing about our beloved grandparents and we do apologize for any inconvenience.
JAMES VASSAL FACEY
1896- 1975
James Vassal Facey passed to the Abha kingdom on 9 July 1975. He lived an exemplary
Baha'i life, one that was completely dedicated to Baha'u'llah's service. His goal was total commitment
to the Cause he loved so dearly and to which he contributed his utmost for thirty years.
Jim and his wife Gladys- called Maisie by her friends - accepted the Baha'i Faith in June
1945 and were among the first harvest of souls who responded to the teaching efforts of Cora
Oliver and Louise Caswell who opened Panama to the Faith in 1939. Mr. and Mrs. Facey shared
the distinction of appearing on the membership roll of Panama's earliest believers and were
among the first five privileged to promote the Cause of God in Panama.
Born in Jamaica on 8 August 1896, James Facey came as a boy to Colon, the ancient
Atlantic seaport of Panama, with his widowed mother. While she worked to support herself
and her son, Jim lived in the home of an Anglican priest, Father Edward Cooper, and
went to school. As a youth, he served as acolyte in the church of which Father Cooper was
pastor. As Jim grew to manhood, both Father Cooper and his mother encouraged him to
study for the ministry. At first Jim accepted training for this vocation but he became increasingly
dissatisfied with doctrinal teachings and finally was convinced that the ministry was not
for him. He stopped attending school and feeling that under the circumstances he could no
longer accept the hospitality of Father Cooper he left the parsonage and found employment in
the Colon Import and Export Company where he remained as accountant for over fifty years.
In 1924 he met and married a young Colon secretary, Gladys Abrahams, who was also a
free thinker in matters of religion. They agreed that they would not affiliate with any church
and, for the next twenty years, they practised no formal religion, though a high moral standard
of conduct was practised in the home and their four children, Cedric, Kathleen, Alicia and
Betty, were exhorted to achieve an education.
In the early 1940s, Maisie met the two pioneers who were then living in Colon, Cora and
Louise, and became attracted to the Baha'i teachings. After a course of serious study it did
not take the Faceys long to realize that they were Baha'is and they applied for membership.
One other student who was attending the class, Iola Edwards, was accepted formally as a member
with the Faceys, and thus was formed the first Baha'i group in Colon, the second largest
city in Panama.
When the first Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in Colon, circa 1950, both Jim and
Maisie were members. Jim was elected as treasurer, a service he rendered all the rest of his life.
Their daughter, Kathleen, declared her faith in 1953 and their daughter, Alicia, the following
year. The girls were in their early twenties and both served on the Local Assembly.
Jim was a member of the regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central America and the
Antilles which came into being in 1951 and served as treasurer of that body until 1957 when
the regional National Spiritual Assembly of Central America was formed. When an independent
National Spiritual Assembly was established in Panama in 1961 he was again
elected as treasurer and in this office continued to render faithful and dedicated service until
1968. The National Spiritual Assembly of Panama was assigned the groundwork responsibility,
under the guidance of the Universal House of Justice, for the acquisition of a
site and the subsequent construction of the Mother Temple of Latin America. His dedication
to the work relating to the construction of the first Baha'i House of Worship on the soil
of Panama knew no bounds. When he was appointed as one of the readers at the dedication
of the Temple in April 1972, his gratitude for this bounty was immeasurable.
Jim's total commitment to the Cause of Baha'u'llah was readily apparent to all those
who came into contact with him. To him, the Cause was like an ocean, and he was a fish
swimming in this ocean. He taught the Faith for thirty years with a steadfastness which was as
natural as breathing. The stranger sitting beside him on a public park bench, his fellow passenger
on a bus, train or plane, within seconds would hear, however briefly, of the Baha'i Faith. His
ever-burning zeal to present to others the verities of Baha'u'llah's teachings was perhaps his
greatest weakness in that his patience with anyone reluctant to recognize or accept was
often thin. Being so totally convinced himself, he could not understand how anyone could fail
to see the truth. He avidly supported extension teaching projects on the national and local levels
and he placed into circulation countless Baha'i books and pamphlets. He would never write a
letter to a non-Baha'i which did not contain some reference to the Faith .
Jim had a keen grasp of the administrative principles of the Faith. He studied this aspect of
the Faith avidly and applied the principles in his relationship to his fellow Baha'is as members of
institutions or on a personal plane. Always an outstanding example of loyalty to these divinely
inspired guidelines, he expected the same loyalty from others. As his service to the Colon
Import and Export Company lengthened, he was increasingly able to arrange his vacations to
coincide with Baha'i conferences and institutes, both in Panama and abroad, and made an effort
to attend as many as possible, it giving him much satisfaction that he was able to finance his
own travelling expenses thereby saving the struggling national fund thousands of dollars. In
1952 he was privileged to witness the dedication of the Mother Temple of the West in Wilmette,
Illinois and he was also present at the All America Intercontinental Teaching Conference
in Chicago in 1953 when the Ten Year Crusade was launched. He attended the International
Convention in Haifa in 1963 for the first election of the Universal House of Justice
and served as a teller during that epoch-making event. When the Faceys embraced the Baha'i Faith
they became targets for taunts and ridicule from friends and members of the clergy who prophesied
that their allegiance to this 'strange cult' was destined to be short lived, that they would
soon abandon it in disillusion. Jim's faith was exposed to yet another test when the beloved
Guardian announced that Baha'is should resign their membership in secret organizations including
Freemasonry. A prominent member of the Masonic Lodge for years, Jim unhesitatingly
dissociated himself from this fraternal tie. For him, there could be no other course; the
Baha'i Faith was the most important thing in his life.
Five years before his final illness, Jim retired from business and built a new home at Puerto
Pilon, a suburb of Colon, where he laid out and planted an extensive garden. He remained
interested, active and in good health until his late seventies, continuing to carry on his Local
Assembly duties and private teaching and making an occasional trip.
He was ill for only three months before his death and passed away quietly with Maisie
sitting beside him. We know that when the history of the Baha'i Faith in Panama is written,
and 'Abdu'l-Baha's prophecy about Panama's role in the development of the Faith shall have
been fulfilled, James Facey's contributions to its earliest stages will merit singular recognition.
... ye must give great attention to the Republic of Panama ... That place will become
very important in the future. The teachings, once established there, will unite the East and
West, the North and South.
'Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan
From Anet Facey on 2 Feb 2023
RE: James Vassal Facey
as for the gravestone there is none only a plaque with the number. and we did not want anything special for his grave as we consider all was given in life. he will desire the same. the cemetery is Garden of Peace a private cemetery in our country. in reference to the memories you have published we the Facey family do agree with all the loving words and memories well written and accurate. it was at the beginning on how he was raised by great-grandma Margaret and how/were he met granny Gladys that it was a bit different. but we agreed that most likely, grandpa and granny wanted this version of their lives and we agree to keep it as it is also in respect of the Universal House of Justice. on be half of the Facey´s we would like to thank you for taking the time writing about our beloved grandparents and we do apologize for any inconvenience.
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