John Canfield

John Clair Canfield, 90, was called home to his Lord and Savior on September 7, 2014. Born on May 15, 1924 in Cleveland, Ohio, he graduated from John Marshall High School in Cleveland, received a BA in Music Education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, a Master of Music degree from College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, and a Doctor of Music in Music Education from Florida State University. He married June DeBoor on December 22, 1946 upon his return from military service, where he served as a Navy pilot in World War II, and was part of the occupation force in Japan. John was a career teacher of strings, and taught at all levels from elementary school through college. He also founded the Fort Lauderdale Symphony, the Bloomington Pops and several other orchestras. In his later years, he, along with his wife, taught various subjects including music and systematic theology at African Bible College in Lilongwe, Malawi,.

Preceding him in death were his wife, June Canfield of Cincinnati, Ohio; his parents, John Clair Canfield Sr. and Elizabeth K. McGregor, both of Cleveland, Ohio; two brothers, William Canfield and Richard Canfield, both residents of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and a sister Sandra Carlo of Hendersonville, North Carolina. Survivors include his four children and their spouses, David and Carole Canfield of Bloomington, IN; Sharon and Kenneth Howell of Champaign, IL; Stephen and Cindy Canfield of Sevierville; TN, and Dala and Larry Newsome of Tampa, FL; also a sister and brother-in-law, Marcia and Dennis Cason of Live Oak, Florida, and a sister-in-law, Anita Canfield of Fort Lauderdale. His grandchildren include Rebekah Bambenek, Colin Howell, Rachel Howell, Daniel Canfield, Alison Martin, Jonathan Martin and Jennifer Barr, and he is also survived by 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren.

A member of Evangelical Community Church, John was a resident of Bloomington, Indiana from 1992 on. He and June also undertook numerous short-term missions trips to Colorado, Latin America, Russia, Ukraine and Malawi. A noted string repairman, he worked at the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan, Brevard Music Center, North Carolina, and also served the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra in that capacity. He was the co-composer of The Proclamation, a music drama jointly composed with his oldest son David. A violinist, John played professionally in a number of orchestra. He will be sorely missed by everyone who knew and loved him.

A service giving testimony to John's faith in Christ will be held at Evangelical Community Church, 503 S. High St., Bloomington, Indiana at 11:00 a.m. on September 11, 2014, with visitation at 10:00 a.m. He will be interred in Balsam Grove, North Carolina, with his beloved wife and life-long partner in countless ventures, June.

Arrangements are entrusted to Day & Deremiah-Frye Funeral Home, 4150 E. Third St., Bloomington, IN 47401.

Online condolences to the family may be made to DayDeremiahFrye.com