John Theodore Seyfarth

1932 - 2022

SEYFARTH, John Theodore, 1932 to 2022. Dr. John T. Seyfarth passed away on October 28, 2022. John was a loving husband, a devoted father and a lifelong educator. He was a true gentleman. He was kind, generous, hard-working, loyal and humble. To know him was a gift. John lived the American Dream, coming from humble beginnings to achieve great success. He was born on August 14, 1932 in Belgrade, Missouri. John grew up on a farm in rural Missouri during the Great Depression. He graduated at the top of his high school class and received an academic scholarship to attend the University of Missouri. After college, John served in the United States Army during which time he was stationed in Japan. After the Army, John began his teaching career in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He first taught math, then become the principal of the high school. John later earned his doctorate in education from the University of Tennessee. John was a dedicated educator and a leader in the field of public education. He served as a professor in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University ("VCU") for more than 27 years, teaching master's and doctoral level courses to students seeking post-graduate degrees. John specialized in the field of educational leadership and authored several textbooks used by colleges and universities throughout the United States to train the next generation of leaders regarding the importance of strong leadership in public education. The Seyfarth Family Scholarship at VCU was created to honor the family's commitment to strong leadership in public education. John retired from teaching in 2001. John's family was his true priority and passion. He was a devoted husband to his late wife, Susie, whom he absolutely adored and cherished. Susie was born in Hungary and escaped the country during the 1956 revolution. They met on a blind date in Chattanooga, Tennessee. John and Susie were married on June 13, 1964 and enjoyed 34 amazing years of marriage and building a life and family together. They have one son, Charles ("Chuck") Kalman Seyfarth, who resides in Richmond with his wife and daughter. John happily bragged about Susie's many skills, talents and accomplishments and would quickly acknowledge that he "married up." Together, they were a force to be reckoned with and there was nothing they could not achieve. They loved to attend the theater and concerts and to travel throughout the United States and Europe. Their collective optimism and can-do spirit was infectious. John was a dedicated and proud father. He prioritized being present, always making time for his son, Chuck. He gave his son the gift of optimism, taught him the value of hard work and the importance of kindness. John and Chuck shared a love of travel, especially their regular "Boys Trip" out West, hiking and exploring through Wyoming, Colorado, Canada and California and just hanging out together. John was an avid reader, a talented writer and a lover of music, especially jazz. He was also a loyal fan of VCU basketball and could regularly be found at the Seigel Center cheering on the Rams. John made time to volunteer and give back to the community, including serving lunches to those less fortunate on Fridays at Centenary United Methodist Church. John was predeceased by his wife, Susanna Vados Seyfarth. He is survived by his son, Charles Kalman Seyfarth and his wife, Julie Anne Childress Seyfarth; and his beautiful granddaughter, Olivia Tatum Seyfarth. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held on November 22, 2022 at 1 p.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church, 411 East Grace Street, in Richmond. Gifts in memory of John T. Seyfarth (in lieu of flowers) may be made to the Seyfarth Family Scholarship at Virginia Commonwealth University.