Doris M. Kufeldt

Doris Rosann Marshall Kufeldt was born August 6, 1933, in Decatur IN. She passed away June 2, 2023, in Conroe TX, just 2 months shy of her 90th birthday. When her father, Rev Glen Marshall, served as pastor of the Decatur Church of God in Indiana, singing groups from Anderson College (Anderson, IN) would often visit and present concerts. It was at one of these concerts where she met the love of her life, Walter Kufeldt, when she was only 11 years old. The story is told that Wally was part of one of the quartets that sang at Doris' childhood church. When Wally met Doris, he somehow knew she was the one he would marry. Wally waited for her to “grow up” (as he would say with a wide smile) and they were married in 1953 after she attended Anderson College for one year. At the time of their wedding, Walter was the pastor of the First Church of God in Panama City, FL. Together Walter and Doris served as pastors of Church of God congregations in Florida, including Panama City, Bradenton, and Eustis. Their course of ministry changed in 1967 when Walter took the position of State Executive Director of the Florida General Assembly of the Church of God, as well as the General Manager of Camp Moon, the Church of God state youth camp in Bassville Park, FL. Doris served as Wally’s office administrative assistant, and served alongside him at Camp Moon. Together with their four children they cooked countless meals for campers, cleaned and prepared the 45 acres for youth camps, retreats and other special events. At Camp Moon, Doris was known for her yeast rolls and pies. She was the baker of the family. Doris helped Wally plant countless Church of God congregations in Florida, and spent hours ministering to pastors and creating newsletters to keep them all connected. They were the “Social Media” connection of the Florida congregations before there was Social Media! Doris and Wally served side by side in everything they did.


Doris was an outstanding pianist and organist. She could play any hymn and old church chorus by heart in any key, and even memorized the page numbers and key signatures of most hymns from the Church of God Hymnal. She started playing piano quite young. While in elementary school, Doris played a pump organ for Children’s Church. As a teen, she spent many hours in the music room playing piano while her sister Barbara sang. Doris played the organ and/or piano every Sunday from the time she was a child until 2020 when her home congregation, Silver Lake Church of God in Leesburg, FL, had to suspend Sunday services due to COVID. She also served as the on-call organist for Harden-Pauli Funeral Home for 40 years.


Doris was also an accomplished seamstress. As a teen she sewed clothing for herself and her sister, then as a young mother she sewed many of her children’s clothing. When grandchildren began arriving, she made a personalized baby quilt for each one, then followed with a quilt for each granddaughter upon High School graduation. One Christmas she made quillows for all 12 grandchildren.


She loved the Lord and gave her life serving Christ through the Church of God in Florida as an organist, piano accompanist, church treasurer, treasurer of Women of the Church of God in Florida, secretary, administrator, teacher, and volunteer. Doris is preceded in death by her devoted husband Rev. Walter Kufeldt, parents Rev. Glen and Naomi Marshall, and brother Dwight Marshall. She is survived by her sister Barbara (Rev. Ronald) Holder, her four children - David (Brenda), Timothy (Beth), Rebecca (Greg) Kendall, and Steven (Cindy) - 12 grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren.


A Celebration of Life will be held Thursday, August 10, 11:00am, at the Eustis First Church of God, 1550 FL-19, Eustis, FL 32726. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Eustis First Church of God at the address above, or to Silver Lake Community Church, 34030 Radio Rd., Leesburg FL, 34788.