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Kaufman, Larry Keith (1935-1956)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Jun 28 p. 1
Birth date: 1935 May 11
text of obituary:
LARRY KAUFMAN OF McPHERSON WAS SERVING ON CONGO MISSION FIELD
A cable received June 22 brought to the Board of Missions office in Newton the tragic news of the drowning of Larry Kaufman on June 20 near Charlesville, Cong, Africa. information to date is very limited.
A letter from Fremont Regier, his friend and co-worker, mailed June 17, states that the two friends, with Glen Rocke, were planning to take a boat trip from Charlesville down the Kasai river to Port Franqui. Further details are not available except a cable received June 25 which states that memorial services were held in Congo on June 23 and 24, and that efforts to recover the body were continuing.
Larry and Fremont Regier were performing their alternative service under Pax in Congo. they have given an excellent account of themselves so that the missionary staff there asked for additional Pax workers of this spirit and calibre. Fremont's letter referred to above closes: "We love it here more each day. We can never tank you enough for the help you gave us to get here." Larry's last letter to his parents closed with this thoughtful postscript: "All things work together for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28).
Mission friends remember Mr. and Mrs. Alvin J. Kaufman, Larry's parents of Windom, Kansas, with deepest sympathy. This includes in a special way also Larry's fiance, Charlotte Graber, who with hm was planning to enter mission service.
Memorial services for Larry are planned in his home church, the First Mennonite Church of McPherson, Kansas on Sunday, July 1, at 3:00 p.m.
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Jul 5 p. 3
text of obituary:
Letter Tells of Drowning in Congo
MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR LARRY KAUFMAN AT FIRST MENNONITE CHURCH OF McPHERSON WIDELY ATTENDED
McPherson, Kan. — Details of the tragic drowning of Larry Kaufman, young Pax worker, in the waters of the Kasai River of the central Belgian Congo were given in a letter received Sunday by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Kaufman of the Windom community.
The accident occurred in the late afternoon of June 20 and was witnessed by his close friend, Fremont Regier, Missionary Glenn Rocke and several Congolese comrades. the tragedy occurred at the close of the third day of a flat boat excursion down the Kasai between Charlesville and Port Franqui which is a regular freight route on the river. The party had enjoyed three days and two nights exploring and photographing the wonders of African nature and wild life along the river bank and were preparing to tie up for the night on an island.
There was shallow water with sand bottom all around the island and Kaufman was wading ahead of the boat directing the others who were pushing it to a deeper place to tie up for the night when he suddenly stepped into a deeper current and was pulled into the stream. Regier saw him struggling and swam to his rescue and barely escaped the same fate. The Africans pulled him on board whereupon he threw an inflated inner tube to Kaufman, but he was already out of reach. Regier then jumped on the tube and padled [sic] to the place where his buddy had disappeared. The [sic] crusied [sic] around the spot and up and down the stram [sic] until dark but they never saw Larry Kaufman again.
Finally they rowed back to the island, tied their boat and stood in silence staring at the river that had so quickly swallowed up Larry Kaufman and halted their happy adventure. Darrel Rocke, 12 year old son of Glenn broke the silence with the words, "Now Larry is in Heaven with Jesus."
After a sleepless night an African messenger started out with the tragic news arriving at Charlesville Friday morning from where the message was sent by inter-station short wave radio to Tshikapa and cabled to the homeland. The next day Regier and Rocke with his sons wearily treked [sic] into Charlesville station and wrote the details listed above. The Kaufman family received the letter on Sunday morning, the day of the memorial service for their son in the First Mennonite Church of McPherson, Kansas.
The largely attended service was in charge of the pastor, Rev. Henry Goosen, who opened with Scripture and prayer, read an obituary and excerpts of letters from Larry portraying his life and character. Words of comfort and appreciation were brought by Rev. Roland Goering, former pastor of Larry, President D. C. Wedel of Bethel College, and H. A. Driver of the mission staff. Rev. Phil Wedel, chairman of the General Conference board of missions, brought a brief message on the theme "Ship of Life." which he had used at the wedding ceremony of Larry Kaufman's parents on this same day, July 1, 1934.
Memorial services had been held at all C.I.M. stations and many village churches where African Christians and fellow missionaries met together to honor this young man who had come to Africa to give voice to the Gospel of his precious Lord. Many sincere and earnest prayers are going to the throne of God from loving African hearts on behalf of grief stricken parents and loved ones in America who gave up Larry that many African sons might share the Glory that now is his.
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Jul 12 p. 3
text of obituary:
Comments on Drowning of I-W Worker In Kasai River of the Belgian Congo
The group of travelers was gliding up the Kasai River, in the Belgian Congo. The Kasai is a river of no mean size, flowing into the mighty Congo. There are islands and sandbanks in various parts of the river.
Larry Kaufman, Fremont Regier, Missionary Glen Rocke and his two sons, Leland and Darryl, were docking for the night on Wednesday, June 20. They had not traveled on the raft as at first planned. A trader had offered them his boat and they had accepted the offer.
Larry had found a suitable place on the sand bank and he returned to gt the rest of the group. As he returned, he was the first one to step on the sand bank, but the sand suddenly gave way and disappeared. Then the swift current of the river swept him away. Fremont Regier made two attempts to save him, but they were futile. They were unable to recover the body. After frantic attempts to save the body had failed, Leland Rocke, twelve year old son of Missionary Rocke said, "Now Larry is in heaven with Jesus."
Two memorial services were held for Larry Kaufman in the Congo on June 23 and 24. One was for the host of Africans who mourn his going and the other was for the large missionary family which now numbers in the eighties.
H. A. Driver of Chicago, who visited the Congo in March of last year, said that Larry had made this statement when they parted at that time, "We'll be working together the rest of our lives, for I've chosen missionary work as my life's work."
Larry Kaufman was held in high esteem by both Africans and missionaries, and his work was most commendable.
Former Congoites who attended the memorial services on Sunday, July 1, at the Mennonite church of McPherson were John Enns, of Kansas City, Katharine Enns of Virginia, and Mrs. H. A. Toews and Paul of Inman, Kansas.
(Editor's Note: Details of the tragic accident were given also in previous reports published in the Review.)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1956 Jul 12 p. 8
text of obituary:
LARRY KEITH KAUFMAN
There's a time to reap and a time to sow
A time to keep and a time to let go
A time to remember as best we can
That we are a part of God's Great Plan.
Larry Keith Kaufman, son of Alvin and Florence Stucky Kaufman, was born May 11, 1935 at McPherosn, Kansas. His elementary education he received in the Wheatland rural school and the high school education at Windom, where he graduated in 1953. Following this he attended Bethel College for almost two years.
On November 6, 1949 he was baptized upon his confession of faith by Rev. Roland r. Goering and received into the fellowship of the First Mennonite church of McPherson.
With this personal relationship to his Lord came also the realization of the need of bringing the Gospel message to others. Heeding the call to the foreign mission field he decided to spend two years of I-W service in the Belgian Congo, Africa in preparation for full-time mission work. He left Newton on March 1, 1955 and arrived in the Congo on the following Good Friday, April 8.
Having served devotedly as an industrial missionary for over 14 months in the Congo, he departed this life through drowning on June 20, 1956. He reached the age of 21 years, 1 month, and 9 days.
He expressed and exhibited a deep appreciation for his Christian home. His energetic enthusiasm, his love for music, and his devotion to the family will always be remembered. He loved to read and sing. the kindly spirit in which he participated in many school activities established many ties of friendship.
Larry was looking forward to returning home next spring to finish college work and continue through seminary in preparation for full-time mission work. Having been engaged before leaving for the Congo, he with his fiancee had made definite plans to return as missionary and nurse to serve the Lord in Africa.
He leaves to mourn his departure his fiancee, Charlotte Graber; his parents, two sisters, Joleen and Mary; one brother, Randall; the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Kaufman and Mr. and Mrs. V. A. Stucky, and a host of relatives and friends.
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Feb 28 p. 3
text of obituary:
Memorial For Youth Who Died in Congo
LARRY KAUFMAN FUND OF $2,330 TO BE USED IN MISSION PROGRAM
Chicago. — Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Kaufman of Windom, Kanas, parents of Pax missionary Larry Kaufman who drowned in Kasai River in the Congo Mission field last June, have turned over to the Congo Inland Mission as a memorial to their son, gifts and personal funds totaling $2,330. The gifts have been allocated for three purposes:
1. Classroom for the Bible School at Mutena where Larry served 14 months. 2. A three-year scholarship for a Congolee [sic Congolese] ministerial student from Mutena in the Bible institute at Tshiikapa. 3. Aid to a missionary candidate preparing to give his life in service as a foreign missionary.
Thus by losing his life Larry Kaufman confirmed his witness and that of his fellow Pax men on behalf of peace and reconciliation with God, and through the consecration of his parents it is possible for at least two others, an African and an American, to take up the mantle of service he had exchanged for a crown of eternal life.
The Mennonite obituary: 1956 Jul 10 p. 437