A long-time resident of Upper Arlington, John Kaufman enjoyed an active life for his 102 years. Born in Middletown, Ohio, in 1921 to Slovak immigrant parents John and Mary Kaufman, he grew up in a close-knit ethnic community and a bustling family of seven children.
Shortly after high school, he found an ideal career match for his creative mind and mechanical skills when he was hired by Ohio Bell Telephone Company as a lineman and installer. Always physically active, he was undaunted by the challenge of donning belt and spurs to climb telephone poles and work on high overhead wires.
His 44-year career with the Bell System was interrupted for four years of military service during World War II where he served as a Tech Sergeant in the Army Signal Corps 213th Signal Depot Company, stationed in Okinawa and the Pacific.
Upon return to the states, he attended Milwaukee School of Engineering, then reclaimed his job at Ohio Bell.
While swimming on a day off at a Middletown amusement park, John met Betty Reddington of Glendale, Ohio, who soon became his partner in adventures and in life. They married in 1952 and eventually became parents to three children.
A promotion to engineering took the family from Middletown to Columbus. Then, in the early 60s with their third child on the way, he and Betty set out on a move for his new job in New York City.
Commuting 90 minutes each way from their family home in suburban New Jersey, he became part of the Western Electric Defense Projects team. That group engineered the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System, a radar system from Alaska to Denmark that provided protection from Soviet missiles during the Cold War, and it also engineered ship-based radar defense measures during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
When his project concluded in 1963, the family moved to Upper Arlington where John lived for the next 60 years. Most notably, he did Ohio Bell’s engineering drawings for the original wideband data lines for OCLC and CompuServe.
After Betty’s death in 1983, John’s daughter introduced him to a favorite high school teacher, Shirley Behnke, who soon became his wife and constant companion, enjoying travels, dancing, hiking and tennis. Over the years, he logged 943 miles with the Central Ohio Hiking Club and took 28 Elderhostel trips.
Following Shirley’s death in 1999, John continued his active lifestyle well into his 80s, meeting a new dance companion Josie Clemens, who shared Sunday outings to concerts, and late-life video chats.
Always a committed volunteer, John was active in a church-based prison outreach group, and the St Vincent DePaul Society. He also led a weekly lunch-preparation team at the St. Lawrence Haven food pantry until he turned 90.
In 2021, he was honored at a 100th birthday party attended by over 50 relatives and friends, where he stood and spoke inspiringly. He made his home at First Community Village for the past fourteen years, and he was always ready for a game of Florida rummy.
John was blessed to have a large, close-knit family. Pre-deceased by his parents, his six siblings, and his daughter Diane Kaufman Fredette, he is survived by children Kathy (Gary) Baird and Joe (Laurie) Kaufman; son-in-law Russ Fredette; grandchildren Linda Baird (Chuck Meyer), Jim Baird (Tabitha Kidwell), Alex (Sally) Kaufman, Zach Kaufman, Martin (Sarah) Kaufman, Joseph (Kinsey) Kaufman, and Jacob Kaufman; seven great-grandchildren; Shirley’s children Doug (Robbin) Behnke, Pam (Pete) Alexander, and Curt (Peggy) Behnke; and Shirley’s grandchildren: William Behnke (Angela Starkey), Danielle Behnke (Steve Conlon), Rozwell Alexander, David Behnke, Anne Behnke-Saylor (Daniel), and Mark (Christina) Behnke.
Family will receive friends from 5-7 PM Thursday, March 7, 2024 at Schoedinger Northwest, 1740 Zollinger Rd. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM Friday, March 8, 2024 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, 1599 Roxbury Rd., followed by a reception that will be held at Schoedinger Northwest from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM Friday. Private family burial will follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Vincent De Paul, Diocesan Council of Columbus, 197 E. Gay St., Columbus, OH 43215, or to Our Lady of Victory Church, 1559 Roxbury Rd, Columbus, OH 43212.
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