Dr. Norman L. Lofland

Norman L. Lofland died May 2, 2025 in Pasadena, California. He was born in 1932 in Hugoton, Kansas, to Theodore R. Lofland and Myrtle L.Willis. He grew up on a ranch in southwestern Kansas, with 5 brothers. On October 17, 1958, he married Betty Jean (BJ) Baerg of Newton, Kansas, whom he had met in a Sunday school class.

Dr. Lofland earned degrees from Wichita State University, University of Southern California, and a PhD from Carnegie Mellon University. His education was interrupted by the Korean war, with two years in the U.S. Army. Dr. Lofland's first teaching position was at Bethel College, a small liberal arts Mennonite college in Newton, Kansas. He taught speech and theatre classes and produced three major shows each year. Norman loved his work and loved helping his students reach their maximum potential. His relaxed, informal style was appealing to students so his classes were popular. It was at Bethel that daughter Natasha was born in 1962.

The international ambiance at Bethel College encouraged the couple to broaden their world views. They secured teaching positions at Beirut College for Women: Norm in theatre and speech, Betty in English.

A moving incident occurred when John F. Kennedy's assassination was announced during the intermission of the play Antigone which Norman was directing in Beirut. In 1967 the family returned to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Norm completed his education. With a PhD in his pocket, Dr. Lofland set forth on an adventurous teaching journey to Iran, Lebanon, Tunisia, China, Macau, and North Cyprus. He penned an account of these experiences in his book, How Not To Travel.

Dr. Lofland was particularly pleased that the play he produced for his Masters thesis earned enthusiastic reviews and was invited to be performed at both the Edinburgh and Holland Festivals. Another high point was working with the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture firm designing a theatre for the new campus of Damavand College, Tehran, Iran.

For twenty years Norman and Betty spent half of the year in Pasadena, and half in Macau, teaching with the Anglican Church. Dr. Lofland's faith was an important part of his life. He was a long time member of Pasadena’s Westminster Presbyterian Church. Besides his wife and fellow teacher Betty, Norman is survived by daughter, Natasha, son-in-law Paul, and two granddaughters.

The nostalgia that comes with remembering decades of a full life makes us again realize how God protected us and still does. And Norman was thankful.