Ann Elaine Kaufman

She was born on June 23rd, 1937 in Canton, Ohio to Benjamin Thomas Sheely Jr. and Alma Fern (Stickle) Sheely. Ann spent nearly all of her life being a caregiver to people - her own family and many others. She helped to take care of her home in her early life while her own mother worked. She graduated from high school in Phoenix, Arizona and later took a course on the Bible at 16th Street Church of God.

She worked at Mountain Bell Telephone Company as a secretary (where she could type 90 words per minute on a manual typewriter!). Here she met Robert Gene Kaufman on the 2nd of June, 1962. Subsequently, she had one daughter and two sons. She took care of her home, her husband, and her children, along with many, many other children through the years.

She had a church family at 16th Street Church of God (later Missouri Park) for 50+ years. Here, she worked helping to keep the church books for 25 years. It was not uncommon to see her at her desk, working on the church books and her other projects, while singing to her music playing nearby. When she later moved to Mesa, she began attending East University Church of God, and attended there until her death.

She enjoyed hobbies like rug-making, word games, and especially reading. She kept a record of all the books she read, in addition to keeping a diary since 1962 - with an entry from every month, and daily just prior to her passing. She sang in the church choir (directing the choir on occasion), with groups, and played the violin as well.

She will be lovingly remembered by her two remaining children (James Kaufman and Jennifer Murillo), her husband (Robert Kaufman), her remaining sister (Lynette Dennis), and her grandchildren (Damian, Rachel, and Rebekah). She was preceded in death by her son (Jeff Kaufman), her parents, her sister (Lila Sheely), and her brother (Melvin Sheely).

No visitation is planned, but there will be a memorial service on August 14th, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at East University Church of God located at 6630 E. University, Mesa Arizona, 85205. Her ashes will be placed at the Valley of the Sun Mortuary in Chandler, Arizona.