John Bredfeld Obituary

Durango resident John Earl Bredfeld died Thursday, April 10, 2014, at his home. He was 81.

Known as "Toughy," he was born to John Morris and Elizabeth V. Eichhorst Bredfeld on Dec. 8, 1932, in Atlanta. After moving to Corning, N.Y., Mr. Bredfeld graduated from Corning High School in 1950. He attended Bucknell University and graduated from Long Island University after serving in the Korean War.

In the Marine Corps from 1952 to 1955, he was an airplane crew chief aboard the USS Saipa. As a sergeant, he was awarded the United Nations and Korean service medals.

On March 15, 1958, he married Faith Bain Connolly in Plainsville, N.J. They had a daughter before divorcing in 1984.

Mr. Bredfeld sold printing presses and newsprint, beginning with Fairchild Graphic Equipment in New York and Portland, Ore. Later, he worked for Zellerbach Paper Co. and Crown Newsprint Sales, which brought the family to Santa Rosa, Calif., in 1965. He worked at Fletcher Challenge before his retirement to Salida and eventually Durango, 13 years ago.

"John struck up lifelong friendships with the publishers of almost every small or large daily newspaper in Oregon, California and Nevada," according to his family.

He met Debbie Carlisle in 2004, and they enjoyed their life together at their home in Hermosa.

"Always a craftsman and artist, John was never without a project," according to his family. In Salida, he spent 10 years restoring his Victorian residence, now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mr. Bredfeld had a lifelong love of trains. In Durango, he lived close to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad tracks, and built the garden railway of his dreams. An expert modeler, he hosted events for the San Juan Large Scalers Club.

A member of the Durango Railroad Historical Society 315 Club, he donated a 1930s-era scale model of the D&SNGRR Depot and other crafted models to the Railroad Museum.

Mr. Bredfeld is survived by his wife, Debbie Carlisle, of Durango; daughter, Gail Bain Laplant, of Mill Valley, Calif.; former wife, Faith C. Bredfeld, of Santa Rosa; stepchildren Scott Kruger, Douglas Kruger and Courtney Roseberry, all of Durango; three grandsons; and one nephew and one niece.

A celebration of life will be held aboard the D&SNG Railroad during the summer.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Durango Railroad Historical Society, P.O. Box 654, Durango, CO 81302.