Joan A Kauffman

Mom was born Oct. 27, 1925, in Wellsville, N.Y., to Leslie and Helen (Hyde) Champlin.

She grew up in Friendship. N.Y., where she would meet her future husband, Gerald Kauffman. After graduation she attended and graduated from the Arnot-Ogden Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Elmira, N.Y., as a registered nurse. She would later use her degree in the maternity wards at both the General and WCA hospitals in Jamestown, N.Y.

On Aug. 14, 1946, Joan and Gerald Kauffman were married at the Champlin family home in Friendship N.Y. As they started their family, which consisted of a son, Gerald Robert, a daughter, Karen Sue and another son, James Richard, they lived in Friendship and Belmont, N.Y., before finally settling in Frewsburg, N.Y., in 1963.

Our father and mother both loved to camp and each year we would be whisked off in the family station wagon to the heart of Ontario for two weeks. After we had grown our parents continued to camp and travel, adding cruises to their adventures, along with trips to visit their children and grandchildren in Florida and Colorado.

Our father was a minister for the Methodist church for many years and our mother supported his calling. They had fellowships in Eagle, Centralia, Ellington and finally Watts Flats, where they made many lifelong friends.

Our mother loved to play the piano and organ and sing and was involved in many of the local church choirs. She enjoyed reading, cross-stitch and knitting, and rooting for the Buffalo Bills and Sabers. She also loved to collect bears and make seasonal arrangements at their homes…..in fact she probably has her small corner of heaven decorated for Halloween at this moment. She also looked forward to creating and sending her yearly Christmas letter to all their distant friends.

Our parents celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary in 2014 just prior to the death of our father. After our father passed away our mother moved to Colorado in 2015 to be close to her son, Jim and his family. She lived in an independent living apartment which allowed her the freedom to still putter around, dust, clean, and make cookies and snacks until she fell and broke her hip a year ago. Shortly after that she was moved to a long term nursing facility, where she remained until her death.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Gerald ”Gerry”; and her daughter, Karen Anzalone.

She is survived by her sons: Robert “Bob” (Mary) of Port Orange, Fla. and James (Janene) of Centennial, Colo.; and son-in-law, Samuel Anzalone of Panama N.Y.; eight grandchildren: Angela (Jenifer) Smith, Bonita Springs, Fla., Bobby Kauffman, Green Cove Springs, Fla., Chris (Meri) Kauffman, Palm Coast Fla., Ryan (Miriam), Michael and Samantha (Kevin) Cuff, Centennial Colo., Madison (Brett) Gulick, Denver Colo., and Kate Kauffman, Pueblo Colo;; 11 great-grandchildren: Morgan Yok, Naples, Fla., Mackenzie and Samuel Swartzman, Bonita Springs, Fla., Emerson and Norah Kauffman, Palm Coast, Fla., Vanessa, Ammon and Grayson Sturtevant, Pueblo Colo., Jireth Galeana of Centennial Colo, Emily and Olive Gulick, Denver, Colo.; and two great-great- grandchildren: Lana and Gwen Yok; Naples, Fla..

Arrangements are being made by Horan-McConaty and Peterson Funeral Homes.

Her remains will be returned to New York later next year to rest beside our father in Friendship. N.Y.

In lieu of flowers, you can contribute to a local animal shelter or food bank, buy a seasonal bear for your home or take a moment and remember a fond memory or two of times you spent with our mom.