Earl Canfield, age 90, a retired officer of the Library of Congress, died of natural causes on the evening of September 29, 2025, at Northcrest Community HealthCare center.

Mr. Canfield grew up in Essex, Connecticut, graduating from Loomis School in Windsor, Connecticut, he served as an Air Force navigator for six years, and concluded his federal career as chief of the social welfare programs research group at the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress. Mr. Canfield received the Library’s Distinguished Service Award, which is its highest honor.

Mr. Canfield was preceded in death by his wife, Johanna B. Canfield, whom he met in 1952 at an American Friends Service Committee work project in the mountains of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. He is survived by his sons, Paul Canfield of Ames, Iowa and John Canfield of San Mateo, California; and by his three grandchildren, Carta, Alexander, and Skyden Canfield.

A memorial service will be held at 1:30 P.M. at Northcrest Community in the Grand Room on Sunday, October 19, 2025. Earl will be laid to rest with his wife Johanna at Ames Municipal Cemetery.