Harry R. Faulk left an imprint on Western Pennsylvania students and administrators that few educators can match.

From a community-based internship program he started for high school seniors in McKeesport, to helping Quaker Valley transform its curriculum into the computer age when he was in his 80s, Dr. Faulk is widely heralded as a visionary by those who worked with him.

"He was always an innovator, though you would never know it by his demeanor," said Jerry Longo, a University of Pittsburgh professor who was superintendent at Quaker Valley when Dr. Faulk worked with the district on its Digital School District project that assigned every student in grades three through 12 a laptop computer.

Though unassuming in his plain tie and blazer, Dr. Faulk "had the most creative mind," Dr. Longo said.

Dr. Faulk, of Elizabeth Township, who served as associate dean of education policy at Carnegie Mellon University's H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management, died Monday at age 87, two years after suffering a stroke.

He started his decades-long career as a science teacher and principal at Trafford High School before moving to the newly formed Elizabeth-Forward School District where, as superintendent, he oversaw the construction of many of the district's buildings.

He later was assistant superintendent for the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, then served as superintendent in McKeesport and Keystone Oaks school districts before retiring in 1978.

But Dr. Faulk's idea of retirement was to join the Carnegie Mellon Heinz School faculty, where he was named associate dean for executive education in 1982.

At Carnegie Mellon, he developed a master of public management program for mid-career professionals, as well as several other programs.

The Heinz School Web site this week paid tribute to him as "a personal role model and extraordinary leader of mid-career master's programs" at the school.

In 2002, a year after his second retirement, Carnegie Mellon honored him with the Robert Doherty Prize for his "substantial and sustained contributions to excellence in education."

But, once again, Dr. Faulk's retirement led to yet another education initiative, and he spent the next three years as a consultant to Quaker Valley's innovative program.

"The people just fell in love with him," recalled Dr. Longo. "With everything he did, he just became part of the district."

His counsel went well beyond the mechanics of arming students with laptops, noted current Quaker Valley Superintendent Joseph Clapper, who was assistant superintendent at the time.

"It was really about teaching and learning. How does the technology impact student achievement and teaching and learning? Harry was a great visionary. In many respects, he was always ahead of his time," said Dr. Clapper.

He was also was a member of Phi Delta Kappa and the American Association of School Administrators.

Dr. Faulk is survived by his wife, Annabelle; daughters Pamela Bassett of Elizabeth Township and Karen Warnick of Morgantown, W.Va.; son Harry Faulk of Beckley, W.Va.; sister Teresa Vukmanic of Washington, Pa.,; brother Edward Faulk of Elizabeth Township; nine grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Following yesterday's Mass, celebrated by his grandson, the Rev. Clint Zadroga, Dr. Faulk was interred at Round Hill Cemetery in Elizabeth Township.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Harry Faulk MPM Scholarship Fund, Carnegie Mellon University, Six PPG Place, 11th Floor, Pittsburgh, 15222, to the attention of Sharon King.