Warren H. Alderfer of Souderton
Warren H. Alderfer, 97, of Souderton, died Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at Souderton Mennonite Homes. He was preceded in death by his wife, Naomi Freed (Derstine) Alderfer, with whom he enjoyed 67 years of marriage.
Warren was born in Mainland in 1918, the son of the late Warren K. and Martha B. (Hendricks) Alderfer. He moved to the Alderfer family farm at age nine that was originally purchased in 1905 by his grandfather, Charles E. Hendricks, on Hendricks Road (now Orvilla).
He started working at Hendricks Dairy, owned by an uncle, at age 16, where he worked for six years while helping on the farm. At the age of 20, his father died and after four years he bought the Plains View Farm in 1942 from his mother. He farmed for 36 years with the help of his wife and family in addition to teenage boys that were nephews or from the local area. Many memories of these experiences and Warren’s positive influence on these hired hands have been shared with him and the family in recent years.
He shipped milk to Rosenberger’s Dairies, Hatfield for 25 years and, after he stopped farming in 1978, he worked for Rosenberger’s Dairies for 23 years, retiring in 2001 at age 83. After that, he volunteered at Care & Share Thrift Shoppes, Souderton, one day a week for nine years.
He enjoyed gardening, traveling by car and bus, and small game hunting. Warren was a member of the PA Dairy Herd Improvement Association for many years.
A longtime member of Plains Mennonite Church, Warren was active as a trustee for 20 years and a member of the Cemetery Committee for 33 years. For many years while farming he continued the tradition that his grandfather Hendricks started of digging graves by hand for burials in the church cemetery.
He is survived by four children, Rachel Hinz (John), Harrisonburg, VA, Rhoda Kauffman (Lyle), Harleysville, Glenda Moyer (Abram), Lansdale, and David Alderfer (Cheryl), Silverdale; 11 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. An older sister, Martha Alderfer, a twin to the late Mary, also survives.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by four siblings, Mary (1926), infant sister Miriam (1930), Edith Clemmer (1997), and Erma Rittenhouse (2011), and an infant son and infant grandson.
A viewing will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, January 31, 2016 at Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home, 701 Derstine Ave., Lansdale, PA 19446. A second viewing will begin 9:00 a.m. Monday, February 1 at Souderton Mennonite Homes, 207 W. Summit St., Souderton, PA 18964 followed by the Funeral Service at 10:00 a.m. Interment to follow in Plains Mennonite Church Cemetery with a fellowship meal for all at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to Living Branches Foundation, Souderton Mennonite Agape Fund, 275 Dock Drive, Lansdale, PA 19446.