Viola Aldene (Thiessen) Neufeldt, 92, died Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at Pleasant Hills, Hutchinson, Kansas. She was born August 19, 1931 to G.R. and Margaret (Esau) Thiessen. She attended West Eagle Grade School, a one-room schoolhouse, in rural Inman. After graduating from Buhler High School in 1949, she took her first teaching job in 1951 at West Kentucky in Lindsborg. Later, she got her degree in education from McPherson College, graduating in 1961. She taught in many McPherson County, Hutchinson and Inman schools. In 1996, she was inducted into the Kansas Teacher Hall of Fame in Dodge City before retiring in 1998.
She was a lifelong member of Zoar Mennonite Brethren Church in Inman and on May 28, 1953, married Eldon Neufeldt there. They were together 60 years, until his death, and had two daughters, Virginia (Mike) Philbrick of Inman, and Cheryl (Don, deceased) Carlson of Hutchinson. There are two grandchildren, Kathleen (James) Crawford of Hutchinson and Sean Philbrick of Wichita. There are also three great-granddaughters in Hutchinson.
She loved baking and her specialty was cinnamon rolls. She often made dozens of them for Dad to share with his co-workers in numerous manufacturing plants in McPherson. She also volunteered at the Et Cetera Shop in Hutchinson as a cashier. When she wasn’t working up front, she washed clothes and housewares in the back room. If Mom couldn’t get something clean, it couldn’t be done!
Visitation will be Tuesday, May 14, 2024 from 5-7pm at Zoar MB Church, Inman. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 15, at 10am, also at Zoar, with burial to follow at the North Inman Cemetery. Memorials can be made to Pleasant Hills or the Et Cetera Shop, in care of Buhler Mortuary, PO Box 589, Buhler, KS 67522.