Kauffman, Charles J. (1882-1961)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1962 Jan 4 p. 5

Birth date: 1882 May 6

text of obituary:

Services Held Tuesday for Founder, Curator of Kauffman Museum

North Newton, Kan. — Charles J. Kauffman, founder and curator of the widely known Kauffman Museum on the Bethel College campus, died at his home here Dec. 29 at the age of 79.

In ill health since he fractured a hip in a fall three years ago, he maintained a keen interest in the museum until his death.

The collection represents a lifetime interest of its founder, who began mounting birds and animals as a farm lad in South Dakota. He was born at Marion, S. D. on May 6, 1882, the son of Russian Mennonite immigrants.

He attended the State Normal School at Mitchell, S. D. and then taught school for 10 years. He also attended taxidermy school in Omaha, Neb., and later began adding items of cultural and historic interest to his collection of birds and animals. In 1908 he was married to Fannie Schrag at Menno, Wash.

Moved to College in 1941

Eventually the museum filled one room at the Kauffman farm home near Marion, and later a new house was built and the old one used entirely as a museum. In 1941, at the invitation of Bethel College, the collection was moved to the former Alumni Hall on the college campus.

The collection continued to grow, and a new addition to the hall was opened in 1959. The museum now houses more than 10,000 items, including 500 birds; a variety of animals, and also old farm tools, musical instruments, artifacts from mission fields, pioneer-day costumes, and old cars and bicycles.

A main attraction at the museum is an authentic log cabin of a pioneer Mennonite family, completely furnished and containing wooden figures of the family carved by Mr. Kauffman himself. His lecture given in the cabin has been tape recorded.

Among the thousands who have visited the museum are many school children who remember Mr. Kauffman's unique way of describing his work.

Over the years Mrs. Kauffman has shared her husband's interest, carrying on much of the work at the museum during his illness. College students have also assisted.

Funeral services were conducted Tuesday afternoon at the Bethel College Church, of which he was a member. Rev. S. J. Goering conducted a brief service for the family in the little chapel. Rev. Russell Mast, the pastor, was in charge of the service in the sanctuary. Dr. E. G. Kaufman, president emeritus of Bethel College, read the obituary and gave the funeral sermon.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1962 Jan 11 p. 8

text of obituary:

CHARLES J. KAUFFMAN

On a bright spring morning nearly 80 years ago a boy was born who was destined to become a child of nature in a very special way. On an equally bright but chilly wintery morning he returned to the Creator of “all things good and beautiful.” In between was a life characterized by integrity, by industriousness, and by a great eagerness to share with others the richness and variety that he found in the world of nature.

Charles J. Kauffman was born to Jacob P. and Kathrine [sic Katherina] Kauffman on May 6, 1882, on a pioneer farm at Marion, S. D. He grew up there, attended the State Normal School at Mitchell, S. D. and then taught school for ten years, during this time also establishing himself on a fram [sic] near his birthplace. In 1908 he married Fannie Schrag from Menno, Wash. In 1940 he moved to North Newton, Kansas, where he and his wife lived and served for the last 21 years. He died in his home on Dec. 29, 1961, at age of 79.

Early in his life it became apparent that he had a special sensitivity to the artistry of God's universe. He tried to conserve some of this beauty by mounting birds and animals. Together with the gatherings of items of cultural and historic interest, this finally developed into the Kauffman Museum at Bethel College. He was deeply identified with this work, viewing it as both an educational and spiritual endeavor. Birds and animals were to him emissaries of God's love and beauty.

Surviving him are the museum and his family consisting of his wife, Fannie; two sons, Ralph of Tucson, Ariz. and Lloyd of Marion, S. D.; and a daughter, Rose, Mrs. Robert L. Gering of aurora, New York; also four sisters, Mrs. Henry J. Goering of North Newton, Mrs. Fannie Graber, Mrs. Adolph L. Waltner, and Mrs. Phil Krehbiel, all of Freeman, S. D., and seven grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Jan. 2, 1962, at the Bethel College Mennonite Church, of which he was a member.

The Mennonite obituary: 1962 Jan 16 p. 42