Charles O. Neidt

ARIZONA, CASE, CLEVEN, GUYER, NEIDT, SCHWEDER, TESCH

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 4/26/2006 at 20:34:45

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, April 26, 2006

DR. CHARLES O. NEIDT Native Son of Winterset
Acting President Colorado State University 1979-81

Dr. Charles O. Neidt, academic vice president emeritus, Colorado State University, died at his home on April 20, 2006. Dr. Neidt leaves a legacy of efficient academic administration and institutional growth, community service as a member of numerous philanthropic and charitable organizations in Fort Collins, as well as passionate avocations as a Colorado tree farmer and musician.

Neidt was born on Oct. 13, 1922, in Winterset, Iowa, and spent the first 12 years of his life on the family farm. After graduating from Winterset High School in 1939, he spent the following year surveying roads in southern Iowa before enrolling in Iowa State University in 1940. With the onset of World War II, he served in the United States Army for three years — two and one-half years of which were spent in the Mediterranean Theater Operation where he earned eight battle stars and two Presidential Unit citations.

Dr. Neidt joined the faculty at Iowa State as a part-time instructor of psychology in 1947; during this time he also received a Master of Science degree in June 1947. Promoted to full professor in 1949 as the youngest faculty person to be appointed to this position, he received his Ph.D. that same year, followed by post doctoral research at the University of Michigan. From 1950–60, he was a faculty member at the University of Nebraska where he served as chair of the educational psychology department for five years. During this time, he also co-authored the book, “Statistical Methods in Educational and Psychological Research.”

In 1961, Neidt was recruited as director of personnel for Mead Johnson Pharmaceutical Company in Evansville, Ind. However, he returned to his primary career commitment in 1962 and moved to Fort Collins to join Colorado State University’s faculty as a full professor in the newly established psychology department. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed chairman of the department and established the Human Factors Research Laboratory. In 1966, the lab helped to develop a long-term institutional plan for CSU mandated the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. In 1969, Neidt was appointed academic vice president by then President A.R. Chamberlain, a position encompassing such responsibilities as chairing the faculty council and overseeing academic programs, as well as institutional planning, libraries, admissions and records, and intercollegiate athletics. Upon Chamberlain’s resignation, Charles Neidt was appointed acting president. The CSU publication, COMMENT, summarized his administrative and leadership contribution to the university during this period as follows:

“He had an uncommon knack for administration and the ability to analyze problems and efficiently find workable solutions…Neidt became acting president knowing that he would not be a candidate for the full-time position. He therefore carried existing programs — many of which he had established or improved — and provided valuable transitional service as CSU sought a permanent leader.”

Upon retiring from CSU in 1995, Dr. Neidt developed his avocation as a tree farmer on land he owned in Rist Canyon north of LaPorte and received numerous awards for outstanding forest stewardship. He also served as president of the Colorado Tree Farmers Association and coordinated a national tree farmers convention in Fort Collins during the summer of 2004. He was actively involved in local philanthropic organizations in Fort Collins — including the Lions Club, Hospice and Boy Scouts.

Married to Martha Marie Arizona Neidt for 60 years, Charles Neidt is survived by his wife; a sister, Josephine Cleven of Tucson, Ariz.; and four children: Heather Neidt Schweder of Manhattan, N.Y.; William Neidt of Denver, Colo.; Mary Neidt Tesch of Anchorage, Alaska; and Nanci Neidt Case of Pittsburgh, Pa. He also is survived by eight grandchildren: Alex Schweder, Amanda Schweder Guyer, Becky Tesch, Lindsey Neidt, Chad Neidt, Andrew Case, Nicole Case, and Mathew Case; and one great-granddaughter, Hannah Guyer.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at the Winterset Cemetery with full military honors — including a 21-gun salute. Charles Neidt will be buried next to his parents, Charles and Lucille Neidt. Funeral arrangements are being handled through Collins Oak Park Chapel.

On Friday, June 9, a memorial service will be held in Fort Collins, Colo., at the Allnutt Funeral Chapel. In lieu of flowers, contributions to Hospice would be appreciated, in care of Allnutt Funeral Service, 650 W. Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526.

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