NEUFELD, Elmer John Neufeld

He is lovingly survived by his sisters Elsie Dyck, Erika Friesen, and Katie Klassen, and his brother John Neufeld, and is predeceased by his sister Marilyn Dirks.

Elmer was married to the late Emily Neufeld (née Sudermann) for sixty-one years. Together, they built a loving family that will carry on his legacy and miss him dearly. He is survived by his five children: Nancy (Mike) Blezy, Janice (Martin) Rickard, Larry (Heather d.2025) Neufeld, Charlene (Jim) Neufeld, and Kevin (Jana) Neufeld. He was a proud grandfather to thirteen grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.

He was married to Angela Ingram in 2022. The love and companionship of the Ingram family in his last years in Barrie, Ontario, was deeply appreciated. He will be missed by Angela and her children: Jim (Tina) Ingram, April (Andy) Bradley, and Paul Ingram.

As a youth, Elmer loved life on the prairie farm – riding horses and playing with cousins who lived nearby. When the family moved to Virgil, Ontario, he discovered a passion for baseball, and his famously large hands made gloves almost unnecessary. With his family, he enjoyed the spiritual community at Virgil MB Church, there he was baptized and met his wife Emily.

Elmer had a lifelong love of animals, bringing horses, ponies, chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese onto the family farm in Niagara. His first official job beyond farm work was at the Allison tractor dealership, where his passion for mechanics took root. Even as he later partnered with his brother John on the farm and in a farm drainage and construction company, Elmer was happiest in his workshop, tinkering with machinery. He was always the person you went to when something was broken, and he could find a way to bring it back to life. Long into retirement, he delighted in restoring old equipment, like his steam engine project or the hat-making equipment at his son’s shop, and finding treasures at auctions – always ready for a new project to bring back to life.

Elmer also delighted in meeting new people, and regardless of where he was, he would always find a new friend. In his spiritual life, he was encouraged by his daily scripture reading, and was stirred by hymn singing, and in his later years, appreciated Angela Ingram reviving that passion with her piano playing,

The Celebration of Elmer’s life will take place on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 2:00 pm. at Cornerstone Community Church on Hunter Road.