Obituary for Loren Ray Neufeld
Loren Ray Neufeld, of Houston, TX, passed away peacefully in his home on April 29, 2023, due to dementia-related complications. We rejoice that he is now fully whole and healed in the presence of his Savior, Jesus Christ.
Loren was born in Mutena, Belgian Congo in 1949, the only child of Mennonite missionary parents. During his first 11 years, he learned the Congolese way of life, which included eating insects when protein was scarce and staying away from the river so as not to be eaten by crocodiles! His parents, George & Justina Neufeld, were not only teachers to the Congolese people with whom they worked and ministered, but also to their son. Loren had a thorough education from his parents which included everything from a standard school education, to how to work and build with his hands, how to cook and bake, and most of all, what it meant to be committed and loyal to his family.
In 1960, when Congo won its independence from Belgium, Loren and his parents, along with many of the other missionaries, were hastily evacuated from the country, never to return. Once back in the United States, they settled in Elkhart, IN, where Loren started attending public school and his parents worked in the mission office. During his junior high school years, Loren made the most important decision of his life... Hearing the verse, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31), Loren placed his faith in Jesus for salvation.
Loren went on to finish school at Elkhart High School, followed by his registration as "Class 1-W" (conscientious objector) with the Selective Service. Having always been a science nut, and enamored by the newly blossoming space program, Loren took an assignment as an orderly at Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX, just up the road from NASA. This led to the next most important decision in Loren's life... The decision to marry Judith Bagsican, a recently-arrived nursing intern from the Philippines, who was working on the same unit as Loren at the hospital. The long-time family joke is that they "met over a bedpan"! Loren & Judith were married on October 3, 1970, and had two children, Sharon Marie (1971) and Sean Ray (1976). They remained in Houston, settling down in a young suburban neighborhood not far from the Astrodome. They enjoyed watching their children grow up, including their music lessons and activities, little league, scouts, and school theater. They also enjoyed many, many family fishing vacations in the Arkansas Ozarks, always including Loren's cousin Doris Enns.
Over the course of his life, Loren pursued many interests, and excelled at all of them. His #1 lifelong hobby was... TRAINS! He was a model railroader from a young age, eventually achieving the prestigious honor from the National Model Railroad Association of Master Model Railroader in 1989. He won many awards for his work, and was frequently called upon to give clinics to teach others. His "Gold Creek Timber Co." layout, built with longtime train buddy, Jim Lemmond, is on display at the Rosenberg Railroad Museum in Rosenberg, TX.
After their kids left the nest, Loren and Judith discovered creative ways to intermingle their separate interests, eventually becoming known as a team in both the local model railroading community as well as the Houston Orchid Society. Around the year 2000, they also discovered running and biking, completing many marathons (including New York City and Anchorage, Alaska!), ultra marathons, shorter races, the Iron Star triathlon, and the Texas MS150 bike ride between Houston and Austin.
Loren's life will continue to be celebrated, and his memory kept alive, by his wife, Judith; daughter, Sharon; son, Sean (KC), and grandchildren, Angelo George and Cecily Ray; cousin/"sister," Doris; and many other relatives and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to one of the following organizations:
Rosenberg Railroad Museum - https://www.rosenbergrrmuseum.org/donate-1
Houston Orchid Society Newcomers - The Houston Orchid Society, Inc., P.O. Box 66325, Houston, TX, 77266
The details for Loren’s celebration of life service are listed below, and the family invites attendees to dress in colorful and cheerful attire as a symbol and celebration of the full and active life that Loren lived.
For those who were unable to attend the service, a recording can be viewed at the following link: https://boxcast.tv/view/neufeld-memorial-sxppugduz1mrtb4hcujh
Loren was born in Mutena, Belgian Congo in 1949, the only child of Mennonite missionary parents. During his first 11 years, he learned the Congolese way of life, which included eating insects when protein was scarce and staying away from the river so as not to be eaten by crocodiles! His parents, George & Justina Neufeld, were not only teachers to the Congolese people with whom they worked and ministered, but also to their son. Loren had a thorough education from his parents which included everything from a standard school education, to how to work and build with his hands, how to cook and bake, and most of all, what it meant to be committed and loyal to his family.
In 1960, when Congo won its independence from Belgium, Loren and his parents, along with many of the other missionaries, were hastily evacuated from the country, never to return. Once back in the United States, they settled in Elkhart, IN, where Loren started attending public school and his parents worked in the mission office. During his junior high school years, Loren made the most important decision of his life... Hearing the verse, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31), Loren placed his faith in Jesus for salvation.
Loren went on to finish school at Elkhart High School, followed by his registration as "Class 1-W" (conscientious objector) with the Selective Service. Having always been a science nut, and enamored by the newly blossoming space program, Loren took an assignment as an orderly at Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX, just up the road from NASA. This led to the next most important decision in Loren's life... The decision to marry Judith Bagsican, a recently-arrived nursing intern from the Philippines, who was working on the same unit as Loren at the hospital. The long-time family joke is that they "met over a bedpan"! Loren & Judith were married on October 3, 1970, and had two children, Sharon Marie (1971) and Sean Ray (1976). They remained in Houston, settling down in a young suburban neighborhood not far from the Astrodome. They enjoyed watching their children grow up, including their music lessons and activities, little league, scouts, and school theater. They also enjoyed many, many family fishing vacations in the Arkansas Ozarks, always including Loren's cousin Doris Enns.
Over the course of his life, Loren pursued many interests, and excelled at all of them. His #1 lifelong hobby was... TRAINS! He was a model railroader from a young age, eventually achieving the prestigious honor from the National Model Railroad Association of Master Model Railroader in 1989. He won many awards for his work, and was frequently called upon to give clinics to teach others. His "Gold Creek Timber Co." layout, built with longtime train buddy, Jim Lemmond, is on display at the Rosenberg Railroad Museum in Rosenberg, TX.
After their kids left the nest, Loren and Judith discovered creative ways to intermingle their separate interests, eventually becoming known as a team in both the local model railroading community as well as the Houston Orchid Society. Around the year 2000, they also discovered running and biking, completing many marathons (including New York City and Anchorage, Alaska!), ultra marathons, shorter races, the Iron Star triathlon, and the Texas MS150 bike ride between Houston and Austin.
Loren's life will continue to be celebrated, and his memory kept alive, by his wife, Judith; daughter, Sharon; son, Sean (KC), and grandchildren, Angelo George and Cecily Ray; cousin/"sister," Doris; and many other relatives and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to one of the following organizations:
Rosenberg Railroad Museum - https://www.rosenbergrrmuseum.org/donate-1
Houston Orchid Society Newcomers - The Houston Orchid Society, Inc., P.O. Box 66325, Houston, TX, 77266
The details for Loren’s celebration of life service are listed below, and the family invites attendees to dress in colorful and cheerful attire as a symbol and celebration of the full and active life that Loren lived.
For those who were unable to attend the service, a recording can be viewed at the following link: https://boxcast.tv/view/neufeld-memorial-sxppugduz1mrtb4hcujh