John Junior "Shorty" Kaufman

John rarely allowed his stature to define his life. He invested in everything around him and any task that needed to be done. He applied his skills to support his family in many ways. He built 3 of the 10 houses his family lived in with skills learned in the RV factories and from his father. He was a butcher, a milkman, a meter reader, a paper hanger/painter, and for a short time between other jobs, drove a big rig after retro-fitting the clutch and accelerator so he could reach the pedals. He was a certified life guard for many years and volunteered for Children’s Bible Memory Camp and Camp Amigo as lifeguard, counselor and Bible study teacher.  He invested his beliefs in his church by teaching Sunday School to all ages including dramatic tellings of Old Testament stories. He woke up early each morning to finish his Bible study and devotions before tackling the day. He was a member of the Gospel Messenger men’s chorus for decades. Some of the men in this chorus also played together on the church softball league. At some point, the 7 family “ice cream gang” was formed and continued to golf, bowl, and eat out each week together for over 50 years. After organizing inventory and selling parts at an implement store, he made his way into accounting. At last, an occupation that had set procedures and solutions.  The front pocket of his shirts ever after held a protector with several pencils and pens of different colors. After completing a correspondence course, he worked as an accountant for several companies in the RV industry, retiring from Mastercraft in Shipshewana where he was controller.

But he wasn’t done yet, after retiring he was a courier for the banks in Shipshewana and Middlebury, volunteered several days a week at Menno-Hof and was a red coat volunteer at Goshen General Hospital. Each time he was admitted to the hospital during his last years, staff would remember him fondly and remark on his habit of carrying mints in his pocket to hand out to anyone who might want one.

Each of his children remember skills he taught as he was working, how to mix mortar, lay hardwood floors, spade a garden. The year he carefully tended Vidalia onions that grew to the size of a slice of bread, we ate onion sandwiches all summer and fall.

John was born on December 15, 1924 in Davidsville, Pennsylvania to John B. and Elsie (Mast) Kaufman who preceded him in death. His brother, Willis (Betta Lee Bender) Kaufman, sister, M. Hope (David) Kauffman and infant son, Kermit D. also preceded him in death. He died peacefully on January 20, 2019 at Greencroft Healthcare in Goshen, Indiana, with his daughters by his side.

He met Violet Garber in Middlebury when he stopped at her brother’s ice cream shop where she was working. They married and were together for 73 years. His children are John G. (Myrna Yoder) Kaufman of Goshen, Nancy (Gail) Ehret of Cassopolis, Michigan, and Annette (Karen Paluzzi) Kaufman of Granger.

Six grandchildren to whom he gave rides on the lawn mower and jumped with on the trampoline are Monica (Brady Sokoloski) Kaufman of Framington, Massachusetts, Jeffrey (April King) Mast of Granger, J. Joshua (Rebecca Dengler) Kaufman of Goshen, Sarah (Benjamin) Mast-Hochstedler of Milwaukee, Andrew (Jessica Harnack) Ehret of Memphis and Anthony (Lauren Taubitz) Ehret of Minneapolis.

Nine great grandchildren gave him more chances to hold babies:  Riley, Wyatt and Piper Mast; Norah and Dejaquan Mast-Hochstedler; Maya, J. Zakai and Emilia Kaufman; and Andrew Caleb (ACE) Ehret.

In celebration of his life, have a slice of cherry pie and a dip of ice cream.

Visitation will be Thursday, January 24, 2019, from 2 to 4 and 5 to 7 p.m. at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home.

An 11 a.m. memorial service will be conducted Friday, January 25, 2019, at Bonneyville Mennonite Church with Rev. Edward Kauffman, nephew, officiating.

A private burial will precede the service at Grace Lawn Cemetery, Middlebury.

Monetary remembrances can be made to Amigo Centre, 26455 Banker St., Sturgis, MI 49091.