Allan H. Bredenfoerder, 73, died suddenly April 24 at his home in Ashley Falls.
Born Sept. 11, 1944, in Mariemont, Ohio, he was the son of the late Howard W. and Marguerite L. Bredenfoerder. After graduating from Mariemont High School and Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, he went on to earn his master’s degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.
He met his wife, Lin Gaskell, while working in a “coffeehouse ministry” in Falmouth; they married in 1968.
He taught in the Cincinnati school system at Cincinnati Country Day School, Berkshire School in Sheffield and Salisbury School in Connecticut. In 2002 he received Berkshire’s Seaver Buck Faculty Award for excellence in teaching and was named Senior Master in 2005. He retired after 45 years of teaching but continued to tutor students in math. In his 37 years at Berkshire, he taught math, chaired the math department and coached boys’ tennis. He worked with students in the outdoor program clearing trails, hiking and canoeing. He also taught them to build bridges as well as a replica of Thoreau’s cabin and, in the early spring, he was part of the maple syrup squad. He sang in the church choir and the Housatonic barbershop group. He was a member of the Lift & Lunch Crunch Bunch at Berkshire South Regional Community Center. He spent hours in the garden, filling it with vegetables, because “you can’t eat flowers.” He was devoted to his family, especially to his four grandchildren who all benefited from his calm, steady presence and his ability to help them with their math homework.
He is survived by his wife, Lin; son Mark A. Bredenfoerder and wife Mary of Tolland; daughter Karen Blodgett of Great Barrington; and grandchildren Samantha and Ryan Bredenfoerder and Connor and Sierra Blodgett.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 19, at 11 a.m. at First Congregational Church, 251 Main St., Great Barrington. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Berkshire School in Sheffield, the Southern Berkshire Volunteer Ambulance Squad in Great Barrington or the Marfan Foundation c/o FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230, which is caring for the arrangements. To send remembrances to the family, visit https://www.finnertyandstevens.com.
