Drena Gail Kaufman

Drena Gail Kaufman was born in Philadelphia on May 3, 1946, and was the second and youngest child of Ruth Kaufman, an administrator in a private school, and Seymour Kaufman, who operated an accounting school in the Washington D.C. area. Both parents were from the Bronx, New York. Drena had an older sister, Sandra Kaufman, whom she always called “Sandy”. The Kaufman Family moved to Bethesda, Maryland where Drena attended public school. In retirement, Drena’s parents moved to Aventura, Florida.

After World War II when Drena was in her early years, there were few Jewish families living in the apartment building where the Kaufman Family resided. Drena always remembered a man who lived in the same building who called her “a dirty Jew” and said, “you should not be living there.” Drena was deeply affected by this hatred and afterwards always stood firm against any form of prejudice. She did not like when anyone was mistreated and always hoped people learned from her kindness. Although Drena honored her origins, she was always open to people from every background, culture, religion and race. She was never influenced by appearances, always treasuring the inner qualities of people.

In high school Drena was honored with the Teenager of the Year Award, and later attended American University in Washington, D.C. While in college she traveled to India where she studied for one year. In India she was deeply impacted by the poverty she saw, which wounded her deeply and her heart eternally suffered for the poor and destitute. When Drena was graduated from American University, she became a student at Berkeley and obtained a Masters in Business Administration (MBA). Drena’s father, Seymour, while running his CPA school dreamed that Drena would one day be a CPA. Drena became a CPA which was her proudest career accomplishment. Drena’s civic mindedness and support for equal rights for women was joyfully expressed when she mentioned accepting a CPA job because they needed a “woman in the workplace”.

Drena graduated from Berkeley and was later married to Joe, whom she described as “a good man”. She did not want to bring children into this world with the suffering she had experienced, and her marriage came to an end. She lived her life the best she could and loved reading romance novels and religious books. She loved good jokes; her favorite color was blue and her happiest family moments were “eating at a Chinese Restaurant and dancing together”. She said square dancing was her favorite activity, which she performed in public for many years.

Drena was raised by strict adults who said that a child should not be seen or heard, which lead to her being a better writer than oral communicator. Drena wrote clearly and directly; her writing was perfect and was the product of a clear mind. She was uncomfortable orally expressing herself, which may explain why she entertained herself watching game shows on television at night together with Patricia Edwards. For more than ten years Drena and Pat watched game show contestants guessing hidden phrases and letters one at a time and winning prizes in the Wheel of Fortune. Drena grew up without wealth and said, “her family did not have a lot of money in the beginning”. This caused her much excitement when watching game shows, when someone “in need” won money and solved their material uncertainties while jumping up and down. Drena and Pat also had fun together with Jeopardy, a quiz-competition show that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format. These entertainments reflect not only her charitable inclinations but her interest and respect in written communication.

Drena’s friends were blessed, and included Stephen Marcus, Jackie Aronson, Heather Simon, Joy Smith, Marilyn Stern and Heather Simon. She also opened her heart to professionals who worked with her, including Lee Osiason, Iris Alvarez, Michael Cowan and Jim Sloto. She was ever grateful to the people who lovingly took good care of her at home, which include: Lucelly Vargas, Beatrice Menardy, Alina Duncan Campbell, Carrel Ellington and Mary Marlea. During Drena’s last days Leslee Geller with Miami Jewish Health System Foundation managed the best and most loving hospice care staffed by Access Care. One of her favorite joys were the visits of the Hospice Music Therapy Team, especially when they sang Amazing Grace, her favorite.

Where there was a need, she gave. The idea “to whom much is given, much will be required” made her responsible to use her wealth to best serve others. She was sensitive and would shed tears when people lost their homes in hurricanes or natural disasters. She never stopped wondering how people were surviving. Drena exemplified the virtues of silence, simplicity, compassion, wisdom, firmness and love. She had great courage and was decisive. Drena became a major donor to homeless organizations and helping individuals in need, including Veterans of War who were always close to her heart. She gave substantially to religious groups of different denominations, and to many health, educational and Israeli organizations. She is a significant donor to the University of Miami School of Education, especially because it empowers the young through knowledge to find their way in life.

Drena always expressed compassion not only to her friends but to any individual around her who faced difficulty. When she heard that someone lost a friend leaving behind a child, she said she felt something in her heart for the little boy and thereafter for several Christmases, she sent gifts to the little one. She did not know the boy and only that his father had died, never personally met them. She helped families in need to bury relatives and generously gave financial help to those suffering illness. Although she could easily write a check to help someone, instead she went to the difficulty of collecting money from neighbors which raised community consciousness.

During the last three years of her life, she inquired about true religion. Pastor Cecil Edward planted God’s transformational seed in Drena’s life. He was a mentor and giver who flew around the world with planes full of food in missions to feed the poor while offering them a personal relationship with God. Pastor Edwards touched Drena’s life through his daughter, Patricia Edwards, who became her best life companion. Patricia grew up seeing her father serve untiringly his community with an unquestionable love and faith in God. Pastor Edwards gave his life to the mission of bringing God to the community, and the community to God. He waits for Drena in Heaven today while an army of Angels escorts her to the other end. He also sends his blessings to his daughter for the work well done.

Drena healed with Jesus and was able to better express herself in firmness without fear or regret. Until her last breath, she was in rapture with Christ and God, and spoke the language of love and the Angels. She lived her last days in the silence of the Heart with an active but peaceful mind, in her loving gentle soul. With “Jesus and God, the ones most loved”, she built the bridge between this human existence and the Divine.

Drena is survived by her daughter, Patricia Edwards, who not only took great care of her, but also inspired a desire in Drena to heal and live in God and live for God forever. Drena you will never be forgotten and will “always be remembered with love!”

A visitation for Drena will be held Sunday, January 15, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM with a funeral from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Forest Lawn Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens South, 2401 Southwest 64th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317. A committal service will immediately follow.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestlawnsouth.com for the Kaufman family.

Forest Lawn Funeral Memorial Gardens, January 15, 2023