The Spirit of the Prairie

"The Spirit of the Prairie" is a sequel to "The Seeds of the Prairie". The story of Walter and Lisetta and their growing family continues from 1938 until 1959 in Nebraska and in Europe. Walter and Lisetta share the difficulties and enjoyment of raising three girls during a time of three wars: World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Lisetta is the "touchstone" of the family while Walter struggles with decisions and consequences. Lisetta realizes that one of their daughters has inherited the "spirit" of the prairie.

Fauneil was born in the village of Hoskins, Nebraska before her family moved to the city of Norfolk. After graduating from the University of Nebraska, she took a summer study tour of Europe with the University of South Dakota. Her first teaching position in English and music was in Tucson, Arizona. While there, she earned an MED from the University of Arizona. After her marriage, she returned to her love of music and studied at San Jose State University for her BA and then an MA. A career as a pipe organist followed until her retirement in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Following her husband's death, she moved to San Antonio, where she currently resides. Fauneil feels that her life has been strongly influenced by her mother, Lisetta, and her grandmother, Minnie, the main characters of her last two books.