Dawn Falleur
- Published: October 2, 2025
Dawn Falleur, 96, originally of Grandview Heights and longtime resident of Fairborn, Ohio, passed away peacefully on Sept. 24, 2025, in Dublin, Ohio.
Born Vilma Dawn Voelker on Sept. 11, 1929, she was a graduate of Grandview High School and The Ohio State University, where she joined the Pi Beta Phi sorority and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. At Ohio State, she met and later married Jack Falleur, of Salem, West Virginia. Jack’s career at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base took them to Fairborn, Ohio, where they raised their four children and two grandchildren.
Dawn dedicated her life to her community, with an unwavering belief in the goodness in all of us and a sense of justice that brought energy to her work. In her early years in Fairborn, she was a member of the local AAUW chapter. As a regional coordinator for the AFS high school exchange program, she opened her home to dozens of students from around the world who continued to consider her family long after they left the Dayton area. Dawn and Jack traveled the world after Jack’s retirement, visiting former AFSers and sharing an appreciation for travel and culture with friends and family.
As her time with AFS ended, Dawn began her work as an environmentalist. When air pollution from a nearby hazardous waste facility sickened her neighbors, she organized rallies and testified at the Ohio Statehouse, ultimately forcing the company to clean up and stop burning waste. As a leader for the Green Environmental Coalition, she continued helping communities fight for clean air and water while pushing for protective legislation in Ohio.
Above all, Dawn was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, friend and neighbor, with a smile and a dahlia for everyone. She was loved and admired by so many who will miss her dearly.
She is survived by her sons Mike Falleur and Shane Falleur, and by her daughter, Heather Landers (John); her grandchildren, Jacob Landers (Drenda) and Rachel Landers (Claudio Ferre); her great-grandchildren, Maite and Lucía; and many loving nieces and nephews. She has joined her parents, Harold and Gladys Voelker; her husband, Jack; her son Darin Falleur; her brother, Dirk Voelker; and her sister, Deirdre Lehrer.
The family will hold a private burial. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to AFS-USA or the Greene Environmental Coalition through the Yellow Springs Community Foundation in Dawn’s name.
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