Kauffman, Christmas Carol Miller (1901-1969)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1969 Feb 6 p. 7

Birth date: 1901 Dec 25

text of obituary:

Well-Known Writer, Wife of Missions Secy. Dies at Elkhart

Elkhart, Ind. — Mrs. Christmas Carol Kauffman, 67, wife of Rev. Nelson E. Kauffman and a well-known authoress, died Jan. 30 at Elkhart General Hospital after an extended illness. Rev. Kauffman is Home Missions Secretary of the Mennonite Board of Missions.

A family prayer service and burial took place Friday, followed by a memorial service on Sunday afternoon at the Prairie Street Mennonite Church. She was a member of the Belmont Mennonite Church.

As a writer Mrs. Kauffman had published eight books. her first book, "Lucy Winchester," is to be re-published this year. Another, "Not Regina," has been written into a play. Mrs. Kauffman is listed in "Who's Who of American Women.: She and her husband pioneered in city mission work in Hannibal, Mo.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1969 Feb 27 p. 11

text of obituary:

CHRISTMAS CAROL KAUFFMAN

Christmas Carol Kauffman, wife of Nelson E. Kauffman of Elkhart, Ind., went to be with the Lord on Jan. 30, 1969. She had been a patient in the Elkhart General Hospital since Jan 9, 1969 with what was diagnosed as severe persistent hepatitis.

Carol was born in Elkhart on Dec. 25, 1901, the second daughter of Abraham R. and Selena Belle Wade Miller. She confessed Christ at the age of 11 under the preaching of J. E. Hartzler at the Prairie Street Mennonite Church in Elkhart, where she became an active member.

Mrs. Kauffman

On April 16, 1924 she was married to Norman Hostetler, who was killed on June 16, 1926. In 1927 she went to Hesston College and graduated from Junior College in 1929.

Carol became the bride of Nelson E. Kauffman on June 10, 1929 and to them were born four children, Mrs. Ben (Ma Donna Lee) [sic Madonna Lee or MaDonna Lee] Eberly of Amarillo, Tex., Stanlee De Von [sic Devon] of Chicago, Hames Milter [sic James Milton] of Lawrence, Kan., and Mrs. Loren (Marcia Maria) Miller of Goshen, Ind.

Nelson and Carol spent 22 years at Hannibal, Mo. in city mission work. During her years at Hesston she began her writing career and after living at Hannibal she wrote five books, "Lucy Winchester," "Dannie of Cedar Cliffs," "Light from Heaven," "Not Regina," and "Hidden Rainbow." There she also wrote the small booklet, "Life with Life." After moving to Elkhart she wrote "For One Moment" and "Search To Belong." Some of these books are also being published in Norwegian, Finnish and French.

Since moving to Elkhart in 1956, Carol had lived a very active life, giving talks in many churches and to many groups, teaching a Sunday school class of intermediates at the Belmont Mennonite church, doing invisible reweaving and alterations for people in Elkhart.

Her father, who lived a few months over 100 years, preceded her in death by one month. Surviving are her husband, her children mentioned above, eight grandchildren, and three sisters, Mrs. Cleo (Nellie) Mann of Nampa, Idaho, Mrs. Claude (Esther) Bigler, and Mrs. Walter (Helena) Meyer, both of Elkhart.

The family had a viewing at the funeral home on Friday evening, Jan. 31, at which time they received friends. A short service was held at the funeral home for the family on Feb. 1 after which the body was interred at the Prairie Street Cemetery. On Sunday afternoon, Feb. 2, a memorial service was held at the Prairie Street church, in charge of Pastor Ray Bair. The family then received friends in the Fellowship Hall of the church after which a finger lunch was served and a testimony service was held in charge of her son Stanlee. Pastor Ray Bair was assisted in the memorial service by Pastor Harold Kreider of Osceola. Ind., John Allison of Elkhart, Mel Lapp of Atglen, Pa. and Milo Kauffman of Hesston, Kan.