Frederick CZUFIN

WILLIAMSBURG - Frederick Cutting Czufin, a well-known artist and community leader, 84, died Nov. 17, at Hospice House in Williamsburg.
Both of Mr. Czufin's parents were artists. He was born in Somerville, Mass., and graduated from John Burroughs School in St. Louis, Mo. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from St. Louis School of Fine Arts, Washington University; he graduated with honors and was awarded the John T. Millikan Foreign Study Scholarship, which took him to Mexico for further studies in art.
During World War II, Mr. Czufin served in the Army, assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) as a member of a team creating strategic maps for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the president. In 1999, he presented one of his relief maps of the island of Saipan to the USS Saipan, which was being refitted in Norfolk.
His professional career in advertising began at Gardner Advertising Co. in St. Louis and New York, where he became vice president, group creative director. He created corporate identity programs, package designs, television commercials, and advertising in all forms and media for many nationally advertised products and services. He designed the original label for Busch Bavarian Beer (now Busch beer), and the original logo for Duncan Hines Mixes was his design concept. He later became creative director of Avery Hand, in Westport, Conn.; and then, with his wife and partner, Peg, formed Czufin Associates, an advertising consulting firm in Redding, Conn. For his contributions to excellence in all forms of advertising, Mr. Czufin received numerous national and international awards.
After his retirement to Williamsburg in 1989, Mr. Czufin served as secretary and then president of Colonial Capital Kiwanis Club, vice president of the Williamsburg Symphonia, vice president and first artistic director of the Twentieth Century Gallery (now This Century Art Gallery), secretary of the Williamsburg AIDS Network, and chair of the Christopher Wren Association for Lifelong Learning (CWA) at the College of William and Mary.
Since 1993, Mr. Czufin taught popular courses each year for CWA on art subjects. He was also a volunteer in the Information Center in the Christopher Wren Building and a member of the Committee for the Celebration of Williamsburg's 300th Anniversary. Mr. Czufin was a judge in the annual ACT-SO Competition for African-American high school students, sponsored by the NAACP. He was a member of The Emerson Society, The Friends of the Reves Center Steering Committee, and The Middle Plantation Club, where he served a term as president.
As a partner (with Jack Robinson) in the Williamsburg Travel Club, Mr. Czufin planned the itineraries and acted as host to 30 travelers on several popular three-week tours of Spain, France, Italy, and Morocco.
During all of his activities, Mr. Czufin always found time to create works of art in a variety of mediums for exhibitions and as commissions. His artworks have received numerous Best in Show awards, and may be found in many private collections throughout the country; he also frequently donated his artworks to charity fundraising auctions. He designed program covers, brochures, letterheads, and logos for local organizations, including All Together, Williamsburg AIDS network, The Williamsburg Symphonia, Christopher Wren Association, the Center for Gifted Education and the Reves Center for International Studies at William and Mary, Friends of African American History, and St. Bede Catholic Church.
Mr. Czufin is survived by his wife, Peg; and five children from his first marriage, Catherine Cosby of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Christine Castelli of St. Augustine, Fla.; Douglas Czufin of Denver, Colo.; Caroline Starkman of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.; and David Czufin, of Naperville, Ill.; nine grandchildren; and a cousin, Robert Czufin, of Hartsdale, N.Y.
A funeral mass will take place at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30, at St. Bede Catholic Church, 3686 Ironbound Rd., Williamsburg.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice House and Support Care of Williamsburg, 4445 Powhatan Parkway, Williamsburg, VA 23188; Friends of African American History, P.O. Box 1586, Williamsburg, VA 23187; or The Wallace Scholarship Fund, 103 Valor Ct., Williamsburg, VA 23185.
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