Mennonite Weekly Review

BLUFFTON, Ohio — Elmer Neufeld, former president of Bluffton University, who also served in leadership roles in the General Conference Mennonite Church and Mennonite Central Committee, died March 30 at Mennonite Memorial Home. He was 83.

Elmer Neufeld with Neufeld Hall, named for him in 2003. — Photo provided by Bluffton University

“President Neufeld’s life reflected the heart and soul of Bluffton for more than three decades,” President James Harder said. “He also shared his leadership gifts in many important ways with other organizations throughout the church. He was both a great leader and carried a vision for the school.”

Neufeld came to Bluffton as an assistant professor of philosophy in 1965. He became academic dean in 1974 before serving for 18 years as Bluffton’s seventh president, from 1978 to 1996.

In 2003 Bluffton named a new residence hall, Neufeld Hall, in his honor.

Bluffton was experiencing financial challenges when Neufeld took over as president, but he worked hard to restore its financial stability. The school’s operating budget grew from $3.5 million to $15.7 million and the endowment from $1.5 million to $6.4 million during his tenure. He started the matching scholarship program, “200 by 2000.”

Five new buildings went up while Neufeld served as president, and several new programs began, including a bachelor’s degree completion program for working adults and master’s degree in education program. The Lion and Lamb Peace Arts Center also opened, and learning in retirement classes began.

Neufeld was known for promoting international cross-cultural learning and bringing more such opportunities to campus.

He was born Feb. 3, 1926, to Peter T. and Lena (Wiens) Neufeld on a farm near Inman, Kan.

On June 20, 1948, he married LaVera Regehr.

After Neufeld completed a bachelor’s degree at Bethel College in North Newton, Kan., in 1951, they moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked for the National Service Board for Religious Objectors. They relocated to Chicago in 1954, where he earned a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Chicago. There they were members of Woodlawn Mennonite Church, taking special interest in interracial relations.