Elmer H. Kauffman

Kauffman, Elmer Henry, 91, of Orlando, FL, passed away on Dec. 13, 2013. He was born on July 14, 1922 in Hartford, Connecticut, the youngest son of Elmer Hurst and Henrietta Kauffman of Boston, MA. Elmer attended Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, MA until serving in the U.S. Army during World War II in Europe and Japan.

Upon returning from service, Elmer graduated from North Eastern University with a degree in Insurance and Real Estate. Elmer married, Phoebe Peoples, in 1950 and moved to Orlando in 1960 where they had three children, Beverly, Dale and Bruce. During the 1970's, Elmer worked for the real estate acquisition department for the Orange County School Board. Thereafter, Elmer opened his own insurance and real estate company located in the Conway area for nearly 20 years.

Elmer was actively involved with humanitarian efforts concentrating on the needs of vision-impaired, underprivileged children by serving as a 60-year member of the Lion's Club International and serving as President of the Orlando Downtown Lion's Club. With family around him, Elmer enjoyed his hobbies of painting, attending sporting events, playing 'Aggravation,' bowling, puzzles, listening to music; acoustic guitar was his favorite, and playing with his grandchildren. He would always laughingly say, "I never tease."

Elmer was a member of the Orlando Central Towers, Board of Directors for many years. Since 1968, Elmer and Phoebe were members of Central Church of the Nazarene, now known as Center Pointe Community Church of the Nazarene. As a willing volunteer, Elmer could be found working each and every time the church doors were open, continuing to build relationships with the community of friends he held dearest. Whether through times of celebration, adversity or the untimely loss of two of his children, Elmer's life provided an example of how trust and obedience in Jesus Christ can be lived out with a servant's heart, without being complicated or apologetic.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Phoebe Kauffman; his son, Bruce and his wife, Erin; and three grandchildren Lindsay Yaeger, Brianna and Bryce Kauffman. A memorial service will be held on at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 5, 2014, at Center Pointe Community Church of the Nazarene located at 9580 Curry Ford Road, Orlando, Florida.