Norman L. Lofland died May 2, 2025, in Pasadena, Calif. He was born in 1932 in Hugoton, Kan., to Theodore R. Lofland and Myrtle L. Willis. He grew up on a ranch in southwestern Kansas with five brothers. On Oct. 17, 1958, he married Betty Jean Baerg of Newton, Kan., whom he met in a Sunday school class.
He earned degrees from Wichita University, the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University. His education was interrupted by the Korean War with two years in the U.S. Army. His first teaching job was at Bethel College in North Newton, Kan. He taught speech and theater and produced three major shows each year. He loved his work and helping students reach their potential. His relaxed style was appealing to students, so his classes were popular. While he taught at Bethel, daughter Natasha was born in 1962.
The international ambiance at Bethel and especially Elma Esau at Menno Travel encouraged the couple to broaden their worldview. They secured teaching jobs at Beirut College for Women — Norm in theater 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 1967 the family returned to Pittsburgh, Pa., where Norm completed his education. With a Ph.D., he set forth on an adventurous teaching journey to Iran, Lebanon, Tunisia, China, Macau and North Cyprus, recounted in his book How Not to Travel.
He was proud that the play he produced for his thesis earned enthusiastic reviews and was invited to be performed at both the Edinburgh and Holland festivals. He was also proud of having worked with the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture firm on the design of a theater.
He and Betty spent half of the year in Pasa-
dena and half teaching with the Anglican Church in Macau for 20 years. His faith was an important part of his life. He was a longtime member of Pasadena’s Westminster Presbyterian Church.
