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2008-08-19 issue:

Neufeld, Bethel’s seventh president, dies at 88

by Bethel College

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NORTH NEWTON, Kan.—Bethel College’s seventh president, Vernon H. Neufeld, died July 18 in Bakersfield, Calif., after a brief illness. He was born April 11, 1920, in Shafter, Calif. After working the farm for a few years, he and his family moved to North Newton in 1946, where Neufeld studied at Bethel College, graduating in 1949 with a bachelor of arts in music. They returned to the Shafter farm for a year before moving to Chicago in 1950, where Neufeld attended Mennonite Biblical Seminary. Before he completed his divinity degree, Neufeld moved the family to Donnellson, Iowa, where he served as pastor of Zion Mennonite Church, commuting to his seminary classes in Chicago. In 1955, the family moved to New Jersey, where Neufeld earned master’s and doctoral degrees at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1957 and 1960, respectively.

In 1959, Neufeld was hired to the faculty in the Bethel College department of Bible and religion, and the family moved back to North Newton. After one year of teaching, Neufeld accepted the position of president of Bethel, serving from 1960 to 1967.

Following his tenure as Bethel president, Neufeld and Ruth, his wife, moved to Fresno, Calif., where he became executive director for Mennonite Mental Health Services, serving until his retirement in 1982.

Survivors include Ruth I. Neufeld, his wife of 67 years; son Ramon Neufeld, M.D., and wife Karen of Bakersfield; son Howard Neufeld and wife Carolyn of Portland, Ore.; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.—Bethel College