Neufeld, Heinrich T. (1888-1968)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1968 Jul 25 p. 8

Birth date: 1888 Oct 16

text of obituary:

. . .

• Funeral services for Rev. Heinrich T. Neufeld, 79, the missionary to be sent out by the Bethel Mennonite Church near Inman, were conducted at that church on Monday afternoon. Rev. A. T. van der Smissen, interim pastor, and Rev. Ben Friesen officiated. Rev. Neufeld died July 19 at Denver City, Texas. A native of the Inman community, he enrolled at Bethel College in 1906. he served for 13 years as a General Conference missionary among the Indian Americans of Montana and Oklahoma. One of the main aspects of his service was supervising the erection of church buildings. He also served as a pastor in Enid, Okla. and taught at the Oklahoma Bible Academy, Meno.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1968 Sep 5 p. 11

text of obituary:

HEINRICH T. NEUFELD

Heinrich T. Neufeld was born on Oct. 16, 1888, near Inman, Kan., the first born child of Rev. Abraham P. and Helena Toews Neufeld.

In 1907 he was baptized and became a member of the Bethel Mennonite Church of Inman. He enrolled at Bethel College in the fall of 1906, the first one from the Bethel Church to go on to higher education.

Two things of importance developed during college years — a call to missions, and a deepening friendship with mother, then Anna Harder. They were married on Aug. 15, 1912, and had almost 56 years together.

The year following marriage was spent in Oklahoma in language study in preparation for mission work among the Cheyenne Indians, first in Montana and then in Oklahoma. Father and mother were the first missionaries to go out from the Bethel church.

In 1927 they left Canton, Okla. and father taught in the Oklahoma Bible Academy at Meno and continued his studies at Phillips University, Enid. While living in Enid, he was instrumental in organizing the Bethel Mennonite Church there. Several years were given to conference work in Old Mexico, as well as to building projects in Oklahoma, two of which were Indian mission churches at Clinton and Seiling.

Two sons and five daughters call him father. One son-in-law preceded him in death, the only member of his family to break the circle before him.

Poor health necessitated retirement, and since 1965 father and mother had lived near their daughter Ruth in Denver City, Texas. On the evening of July 4 father suffered a stroke, followed by two successive ones in the next 15 days. He went home to be with his Lord on July 19 at the age of 79 years, nine months and three days. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord."

Waiting to join him are mother, Mrs. Anna T. Neufeld; two sons and their wives, Abraham and Alvina Neufeld, Gerhard and Susie Neufeld; five daughters and their husband, Margaretha and Bernard Wiebe, Helena and Oscar Wehmuller, Gertrude and Arnold Thiessen, Ruth and William Grubbs, Marianne and William Penner; 28 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; three brothers and one sister.

The Mennonite obituary: 1968 Aug 20 p. 523
The Mennonite obituary: 1968 Sep 3 p. 545