Neufeldt, Carl John (1908-1973)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2 Aug 1973 p. 11

Birth date: 1908 Jun 14

text of obituary:

CARL JOHN NEUFELDT

Carl John Neufeldt, son of Jacob G. and Katy K. (Balzer) Neufeldt, was born on June 14, 1908 near Inman, Kan. to a pioneer Mennonite farm family. Two sisters, Sarah and Esther, died in infancy. Surviving members of this family are Jacob G. Neufeldt and Arthur D. Neufeldt, both of Inman; Mrs. Tena Balder of Buhler, Kan.; and Miss Anna Neufeldt of Baltimore, Md.

Carl Neufeldt attended grade school in McPherson County, Kansas, and graduated from Buhler High School in 1927. From 1927 to 1929 he attended Bethel College, Newton, where he met his wife, Esther Miller, from Arlington, Kan. They both began teaching in nearby rural schools in 1929 and were married in 1932.

Carl received his bachelor’s degree from Bethel in 1940 after attending summer schools and then carried on graduate studies at the University of Iowa where he received his master’s degree in 1943. He was voted into the national education honorary fraternity, Phil Delta Kappa, and later continued his studies at New York University.

After the rural teaching experience, Carl served as elementary school principal in Partridge and later in Sylvia, Kan. In 1941 he accepted the principalship of the Tyler School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. From there he moved to Mount Vernon, New York, where he was principal of Lincoln School for two years and then of the large Traphagen Elementary and Junior High School. Under his administration the school had the distinction of having one of the largest parent-teacher associations in the state of New York.

Carl was active in his church for many years, serving as an elder, choir member and adult Bible teacher. He was highly involved in community affairs, was a Kiwanian and received high recognition for his 22 years of dedicated work with the Boy Scouts.

Carl and Esther had two children. Mrs. Carol Ann (Neufeldt) Rose lives with her husband Judge C. Kimball Rose and their three children in Scottsdale, Ariz. Max Neufeldt and wife Susan reside in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Carl and Esther were married almost 41 years. The last two years they enjoyed retirement and made many friends at Del Webb’s retirement community at Sun City, Ariz. Carl died of cancer in Phoenix, Ariz. on July 16, 1973. Esther Neufeldt will continue to live at 10315 Pleasant Valley Road, Sun City.