Kauffman, Irene Zimmerly (1933-2004)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 Feb 7 p. 8

Birth date: 1933 May 12

text of obituary:

IRENE KAUFFMAN

Irene Zimmerly Kauffman, 71, of Wichita, Kan., died Dec. 17, 2004. She was born May 12, 1933, to Clarence J. and Florence Miller Zimmerly in Orrville, Ohio.

She accepted Christ at age 9 and joined Smithville (Ohio) Brethren Church. She graduated from Smithville High School in 1951. She attended Goshen (Ind.) College and received her BSN degree in 1957. She attained two master's degrees, in education and in nursing, at Wichita State University.

On Aug. 11, 1957, she married Ellsworth Kauffman at Smithville Brethren Church.

She moved with her family to Kansas in 1968 and taught 12 years at Wesley School of Nursing. She was a consultant for Butler Community College at the inception of that nursing program. She taught for three years with the nursing school at St. Joseph Hospital. For 12 years she was director of health services at Friendly Acres Retirement Community in Newton. After retiring from Friendly Acres, she did patient assessment for five years at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita.

She was active in music and church. She was a charter member of Neil Avenue Mennonite Church in Columbus, Ohio.

In 1968, she became a member of Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church, Wichita, holding many offices and working on committees.

Her family took part in international exchanges, hosting people through the Mennonite Central Committee Trainee program and Wichita State University's English as a Second Language program. She had a keen interest in talking with these students, learning about their cultures, beliefs and lives.

Survivors include her husband, Ellsworth; five children, Judith Ann Kauffman of Albuquerque, N.M., Lisa Beth Kelley and her husband, Chad, of Overland Park, Eric Kauffman and his wife, Melody, Kurt Kauffman and his wife, Diane, and Kathleen Kauffman, all of Wichita; and nine grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a grandchild.