Norman Daniel Kauffman, 87, of Kalispell “made his transition to heaven” on June 6, 2011.
He was born at Creston on July 19, 1923, to Norman Leroy (N.L.) and Anna Kauffman, the ninth of their fifteen children. He grew up in the Creston area and attended Cayuse Prairie School. Along with his siblings, he worked in the family's sawmill and on the family farm. At age 14 he was baptized and joined the Mountain View Mennonite Church.
Norman's life of service to others began during World War II when, as a conscientious objector, he served in Civilian Public Service, spending the first thirteen months working in Idaho. He then trained as a smokejumper, fighting forest fires in his home state. In early 1946 he became a member of the crew of the U.S.S. Mount Whitney and transported horses to post-war Poland under the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Act. Following his release from service, he attended Hesston College in Hesston, Kan., and Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Va., where he graduated.
In 1950 he married Margaret Stutzman of Goshen, Ind., and lived in that area, serving as the first principal of Clinton Christian Day School. He and Margaret and their family spent two years in Johnstown, Pa., where he taught at Johnstown Mennonite School before moving to Kalispell, where he continued his teaching career at Evergreen School. In 1970 the family moved to Glendive, where Norman became pastor of White Chapel Mennonite Church, where he served for twelve years. He and Margaret then moved to Hamsonburg, Va., where he was pastor of Elkton Mennonite Church, as well as working on the physical plant staff at his alma mater, Eastern Mennonite University.
Retirement from the pastoral position in Virginia was followed by a move back to the Flathead Valley and the building of their retirement home. Norman enjoyed hunting, singing in the local barbershop chorus, riding his four-wheeler in the woods and could often be found in his woodworking shop. Although retired from pastoring, he regularly attended and was involved in multiple areas of church life at Mountain View Mennonite Church. He particularly enjoyed the trips he and Margaret made to visit their sons, sharing in special occasions and just being “Grandpa.”
Life changed when he suffered a severe head injury as the result of a slip on the ice in December 2006, and for the remaining four years of his life his home was Heritage Place in Kalispell, where he made many new friends.
Norman is survived by his wife, Margaret; as well as his five sons and their families, Leroy and Judy of Clyde, N.C., Kermit of Tampa, Fla., Galen and Betty Jean of Mountain Lake, Minn., Jerry and Mary Beth of New Ulm, Minn., and Marlin of Kalispell; and three grandsons, six granddaughters and one grandson-in-law. Of his fourteen siblings, he is survived by his brothers, Paul, Dave and Joe; and his sisters, Berniece Reimer, Lithe Weber, Rosetta Eby and Gladys Reimer; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.
He was preceded in death by a son, Jonathan; his parents; four brothers and three sisters.
Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 9 at Mountain View Mennonite Church. A graveside committal will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, June 10 at Fairview Cemetery, followed by a service celebrating Norman's life at 3 p.m. at Mountain View Mennonite Church.
Norman enjoyed being part of the work of Gospel Echoes Prison Ministries and those who wish to make a charitable donation in his memory can remember him at Gospel Echoes Northwest, P.O. Box 255, Tangent, OR 97389.
The family is particularly grateful to the staff at Heritage Place for the excellent care they gave our husband, father and grandpa while he lived with them.