Francisco Käfler

Photo courtesy of Brazilian White Center - UNASP. 

Käfler, Francisco (1899–1986)

By The Brazilian White Center – UNASP

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The Brazilian White Center – UNASP is a team of teachers and students at the Brazilian Ellen G. White Research Center – UNASP at the Brazilian Adventist University, Campus Engenheiro, Coelho, SP. The team was supervised by Drs. Adolfo Semo Suárez, Renato Stencel, and Carlos Flávio Teixeira. Bruno Sales Gomes Ferreira provided technical support. The following names are of team members: Adriane Ferrari Silva, Álan Gracioto Alexandre, Allen Jair Urcia Santa Cruz, Camila Chede Amaral Lucena, Camilla Rodrigues Seixas, Daniel Fernandes Teodoro, Danillo Alfredo Rios Junior, Danilo Fauster de Souza, Débora Arana Mayer, Elvis Eli Martins Filho, Felipe Cardoso do Nascimento, Fernanda Nascimento Oliveira, Gabriel Pilon Galvani, Giovana de Castro Vaz, Guilherme Cardoso Ricardo Martins, Gustavo Costa Vieira Novaes, Ingrid Sthéfane Santos Andrade, Isabela Pimenta Gravina, Ivo Ribeiro de Carvalho, Jhoseyr Davison Voos dos Santos, João Lucas Moraes Pereira, Kalline Meira Rocha Santos, Larissa Menegazzo Nunes, Letícia Miola Figueiredo, Luan Alves Cota Mól, Lucas Almeida dos Santos, Lucas Arteaga Aquino, Lucas Dias de Melo, Matheus Brabo Peres, Mayla Magaieski Graepp, Milena Guimarães Silva, Natália Padilha Corrêa, Rafaela Lima Gouvêa, Rogel Maio Nogueira Tavares Filho, Ryan Matheus do Ouro Medeiros, Samara Souza Santos, Sergio Henrique Micael Santos, Suelen Alves de Almeida, Talita Paim Veloso de Castro, Thais Cristina Benedetti, Thaís Caroline de Almeida Lima, Vanessa Stehling Belgd, Victor Alves Pereira, Vinicios Fernandes Alencar, Vinícius Pereira Nascimento, Vitória Regina Boita da Silva, William Edward Timm, Julio Cesar Ribeiro, Ellen Deó Bortolotte, Maria Júlia dos Santos Galvani, Giovana Souto Pereira, Victor Hugo Vaz Storch, and Dinely Luana Pereira.

 

 

First Published: June 22, 2021

Francisco Käfler, an Adventist pioneer in the state of Espírito Santo, was born on August 17, 1899, in the city of Serra Pelada in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The son of Joseph and Maria Koof, he had five siblings: Alvina Käfler (Küster), Henrique, Germano, Alberta, and Albertina Käfler.1

The family's initial contact with the Adventist message took place in Santa Maria de Jetibá through books sold by Albert Stauffer, the first canvasser to work in the Brazilian territory. Francisco was instructed in the Adventist beliefs by his parents in addition to receiving an annual visit from the district pastor. He was baptized at 15 years of age on December 27, 1914, in the Serra Pelada Adventist Church.2 Despite the desire to have been baptized earlier, it was not common at that time to baptize younger children.3

Two years later, during 1917, he studied at the Brazil College (today UNASP – SP) in the city of São Paulo, but did not to finish the entire course completing only the elementary school level. Years later, he married Augusta Felix Käfler, and from their union were born ten children: Dulino, Frida, Henrique, Laura, Tereza, André, Erna, Zeferino, Paulo, and Edna.4

Francisco served in the local church of Serra Pelada in many ways, standing out for his fervor and dedicated service throughout his life. In addition to this, the Käfler family donated land that was used both for the construction of the church and the cemetery in the city of Laranja da Terra in the district of Ribeirão, Espírito Santo.5

After a lifetime dedication to the Church, Francisco Käfler passed away at the age of 87 on October 12, 1986,6 in Laranja da Terra. Being a widower, Francisco left 10 children, 56 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-great-grandchildren, of which many are workers for the SDA Church.7

Sources

“Coral Carlos Gomes fez turnê evangelística pelo Estado.” Revista Adventista, 86, no. 2 (February 1990).

“Francisco Käfler.” Revista Adventista, 83, no. 3 (March 1987).

Notes

  1. Elane Kefler Ferreira, email message to Felipe Cardoso do Nascimento, November 25, 2019.

  2. “Francisco Käfler,” Revista Adventista, 83, no. 3 (March 1987): 36; Elane Kefler Ferreira, email message to Felipe Cardoso do Nascimento, November 25, 2019.

  3. Elane Kefler Ferreira, email message to Felipe Cardoso do Nascimento, November 25, 2019.

  4. “Coral Carlos Gomes fez turnê evangelística pelo Estado,” Revista Adventista 86, no. 2 (February 1990): 28; Elane Kefler Ferreira, email message to Felipe Cardoso do Nascimento, November 25, 2019.

  5. Ibid.

  6. Ibid.

  7. “Francisco Käfler,” Revista Adventista, 36.

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UNASP, The Brazilian White Center –. "Käfler, Francisco (1899–1986)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. June 22, 2021. Accessed February 19, 2025. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=EGJM.

UNASP, The Brazilian White Center –. "Käfler, Francisco (1899–1986)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. June 22, 2021. Date of access February 19, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=EGJM.

UNASP, The Brazilian White Center – (2021, June 22). Käfler, Francisco (1899–1986). Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved February 19, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=EGJM.