Obituary for Chris Langefeld

R.I.P Dear Chris

It is with sadness that we inform you that our brother Chris passed away peacefully last Thursday evening from a suspected embolism on all Souls day. Chris was a founding partner and director of Imsimbi Training from our commencement in 2006. He lived a full life prior to becoming a Director at Imsimbi Training over the past 12 years. As a young seminarian and Catholic priest he studied in Rome, and was invited to stay on at the Vatican after achieving exemplary results but chose to return to South Africa. He lectured many of the South Africa’s priests in theology at St Joseph’s Seminary, Cedara. He then served the Soweto community in Phiri, during the 1980’s when the struggle against apartheid was at its peak. Yet he welcomed all who needed sanctuary and buried many activists since he saw the face of Jesus in all who suffered.

Later he met and loved Barbara and after a period of discernment, left his Religious Order, the OMI’s to marry her. He worked at the Dept. of Land Affairs and assisted in the redistribution of land claims in the 90’s, he briefly worked at Legal Wise and GSCC before joining Imsimbi. A few days before he passed on he went to Hendrina to assist a group of learners who were unable to complete their assessments since their literacy was too weak, simply because he loved helping people.

He was a great human being, who loved and cared for people deeply. All the thousands of learners that he has trained over the last 12 years will remember him dearly. Those who were privileged to work closely with him for the last 12 years, were all deeply touched by his caring, loving, gentle and warm nature. He has always guided and led us at Imsimbi as a loving Father and wise counsellor. He served all he met with joy and was a very good listener to his learners as well as all the staff here at Imsimbi, where he will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife Barbara, their children Shawn, Bruce and Nicky, their spouses and grandchildren. His funeral will be this Friday on the 10th November beginning at 10am for the Eulogies at St Michael’s Anglican Church, Weltevreden Park, where he regularly preached. The funeral service will begin at 11 am.