Neufeldt, Dennis John

DENNIS JOHN NEUFELDT, dearly loved husband of Helen Henderson, died peacefully at sunrise on Wednesday, September 7, at the age of 69.

Dennis was born in Coaldale, and except for his four years at the University of Toronto (Industrial Engineering '76) lived in the Coaldale - Lethbridge area for the rest of his life. He married Helen Henderson in 1990, and theirs was a loving, respectful partnership for the next 32 years. Dennis started work at Neufeldt Industries as a youth, and grew with the business, serving as President of Haul-all Equipment until the progression of his Parkinson's Disease made life and work increasingly difficult.

As one colleague put it, Dennis was an engineer's engineer. He was creative, persistent, and an incredible problem-solver. The bear-proof garbage containers which Dennis designed, and Haul-All manufactured, have saved the lives of countless bears, and helped make people more responsible about their behaviour, in parks across Canada and internationally. Dennis was extremely proud to be selected as the honoree for the University of Lethbridge Faculty of Management Scholarship Dinner in 2015, in recognition of his success in industry and his long-standing commitment to the U of L and the community.

But Dennis was much more than an engineer and a manufacturer. He loved sports - football, softball, hockey, ping pong, and boxing with his fellow Parkinson's people. He preferred being outside, whether hiking, skiing, boating, waterskiing, cycling, or camping. He always had a motorcycle. Salmon fishing in BC was a highlight of many summers, as was gathering friends around the table for a BBQ salmon dinner. Dennis was an artist - a painter and a sculptor. He was an active member of Lethbridge Mennonite Church, and his church family was very important to him.

Above all, Dennis was a friend. Employees, colleagues, people he grew up with, the infamous "Surveyor's group", and many others he met along the way - he counted you all as friends, and you were loyal to the end.

Thank you to the caregivers who did their best to make Dennis' last few years as active and enjoyable as possible: Sharla Jepson, Megan Torry, Ernie Janzen (Dr. and friend) and Dr. Howe Leam. Dennis received truly exceptional care in Cottage One at Good Samaritan's Park Meadows for the past two and a half years, where Theresa, Silvia and Kim were outstanding.

Dennis was predeceased by his parents Jake and Anne Neufeldt. He is survived by his wife, Helen, his sisters Doreen (Duncan) Lloyd, Leona (Ron) Born, and Norma (Les) Neufeld; Helen's siblings Mary (Howard) Mattila, Heather (John) Jarrett, Jo Anne, and Jim (Deb) Henderson; many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and many very close friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at COALDALE MENNONITE CHURCH, 2316 17 St., Coaldale, on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 2:00 pm. The service will be livestreamed and may be accessed via Dennis' obituary on the Cornerstone Funeral Home website.

No flowers, please. If you wish to honour Dennis, you may wish to support Mennonite Central Committee (mcccanada.ca), the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (foodgrainsbank.ca), the Cor Van Raay Link Pathway from Coaldale to Lethbridge (linkpathway.org), or an organization of your choice. Dennis supported MCC and Foodgrains for many years, and he would have loved a new bike trail!