virtually single—handed the annual Southern Manitoba Music and Speech Arts Festival which quickly became the blueprint for numerous other such festivals acress Manitoba. K.H. was well—knOWn in Canadian and western US-music circles, especially asomganizonand conductor of choirs. Hats listed among major Canadian conposers.-In 1953 he was awarded a doctorate in Music from St. John's University, England; partly in recognition of three com—- positions (lengthy operantype cantatas) for choir and string: To the Youth; Zion, 0 City of God; God in Nature. Later he composed the popular At the Sea Shore. Although he'llalwaysbe known for his beautiful musical compositions, inspiring radio programs, massive choir fes- tivals, formulating a.blueprint for musical-arts festivals, conducting highly-populerEaster cantatas, West—Manites will best remember him as a very warm and fun-loving human being. A daughter of K.H.‘s, Mrsn Susie Penner of Winkler (who loaned me numerousnewsclippings about.her talented father), writes: "Our father was a quiet man. We enjoyed theeveningsto~ gather. We sang and played; Dad and Mother guitar, our brother (killed in a car accident at to) mandolin, my sister violin and I accordion. I'm so thankful to my father for developing this musical interest in us. I also conduct choirs, have had a girls‘ choir for ’12 years here, for many years a.ledies‘ choir and:conduct mass ladies' choirs at conferences .~ IPve been a church organist for 30 years, teach piano here..My sister (Winnipeg).plays piano too3 and accompanies choirs and singers." -Whenever I think of this most remarkable dynamo who influenced my own youth as did few others, certain things.stand clearly out. He was about the only man who "got through" to me and a little group of hard-rock teenagers with whom I hung around, drag raced, raised cain.o- I recall my astonishment when during one noon—hour break he joined us in'a game of fastballa (he must have been about 55 then) and out—played everyone in a game we felt we owned exclu—j, sively. I recall vividly the fascinating anecdotes and jokes he told, many considered seme~ what risque-by members of our own ultra conservative congregation. Young people especially quickly recognized in him a person so deeply involved in life, so genuinely sincere endocm~ mitted to a cause they responded by singing and playing musical instruments-as neverbefore. I last saw K.H. in 1950 while passing through Winkler by train. He’d come to meet it and was standing quietly and humbly beside his bicycle—~a most incongruous figure'inzanaterial— istic society which revered driving latestwmodel cars, This impressed me vastly more than had he emerged from a chauffeyr-driven"Rolls—Royce. _. ' ' ;--Massive choir festivals were Dr. Neufeld's specialty. For example, in 1954 he conducted a QOO—voice choir-—accompanied by string orchestra and brass band—~before a capacity audifi :once in Winnipeg auditorium. Several writers have rightly called him "the man who brought music to southern-Manitoba." During this time of Brandon's 90th anniversary it's fitting we in weStnMen should pay tribute to’"the wandering conductor" who wandered amOngIMSforzathird scentury making'our lives more meaningful. 63. BRIEF GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF MY CHILDREN'S ANCESTORS My.great grandfather on my father‘s father's side, PETER NEUFELD, was born somewhere in the Marienburg area of Prussia. As a.youth, prior to joining the Mennonite church1 hens& in the Prussian military Service. Grandchildren recall his Prussian uniform (one believes it Was that of an officer) stored in a trunk in South Russian Great_grandfather moved to South ‘I“Russia much later than most Mennonites; some say at age fl7. This suggests it mighthavebeen _about 1840—60. He lived_on a.farm in Rueckenau. > ”' Peter married KATHERIENA'ENNS, who was born approximately h831 and was the daughter of “KBRAMgENNS who died in Rueckenau in 1854~55. Mrs. Enns, born about MSOQ, thenmerniaiaBark— 'y’mann,«died in Rueckenau 1860-61. Great grahanther Katheriena.had a sister 18 years younger _:_fcalldd Justina (born 1849,-laterers.,J0hann Guenther) who came to live with the Peter Neu— “fields'who were then recently married and had just purphased a farm. During those years they worked extremely hard to make ends meet. (Maria Klassen of Winnipeg--a daughtem'ofJustina—— now 81, possesses considerable information on that branch of Ennses). TheGuenthers 'had_ 10 children. Four died in infancy (Daniel and three Justinas) and the others were: Aganeta who '-"-‘-"-cueanpr. 190231: age 20; Abraham, died Sept. 190a at 27, married but without children; J04- hann, oldest son, died 1929; Peter, died 1933'at 45; Elizabeth (Mrs. Hildebrandt),diedMay, "r,“’1947 at 57; Maria (Mrs. Klassen),,the youngesto Johann Guenther Sr. died t929 at 75 and his "’ wife Justina died 1931 at.81g» - ' " ‘ VThe Peter Neufelds had 11 children: 1. Peter, who'never married, the oldest. 2.KDRNELIUS (my grandfather), born Oct. 1.87 1874 in Rueckenau, the youngest. In_apprdximete orderixfege :following Peter they were: 3. Elizabeth (Lyske), who didn't marry until about 50, married Hermann Dyck and upOn his death married again, died by falling.off a roof withfoulplaysusu 78 ' "J