Paul I. Kaufman

Paul Kaufman, much beloved husband, father, grandfather, and uncle, passed away peacefully on August 2, 2016, at the age of 96. He was born in East Boston, Massachusetts on May 15, 1920. He graduated from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in 1940. In 1942, he was inducted in the Army as a private, was sent to Officers Candidate School, and commissioned as a second lieutenant. He participated in the Normandy invasion, the brutal Battle of Hurtgen Forest during the Battle of the Bulge, serving as Operations Officer in the 103rd Medical Battalion, 28th Infantry Division. He was responsible for the transportation of scores of wounded from the battlefield to the nearest field hospital. For his wounds and efforts in the European theater, he was awarded the Purple Heart and 2 Bronze stars. After being discharged as a Captain in 1945, he joined an Army Reserve medical unit which was called back to active duty in 1950 for the Korean conflict.

Just before reporting for duty on December 1st, he met Bernice Resnick, and within three weeks they were engaged. They were married in Boston at Temple Kehillith Israel on March 31, 1951. From Camp Pickett, Virginia he was transferred to Tripler Army Hospital in Hawaii (still a territory) where his combined pharmacy and management skills were needed. There, daughters Lisa and Carol were born. He left the service in 1954 to obtain an MPH in Hospital Administration from Yale University where the family of four lived in a Quonset hut and son Mark was born. In 1958, at the urging of a former commander, he rejoined the military as a Regular Army officer. His primary assignment at Fort Sam Houston was as an Assistant Professor in the Baylor University Master of Hospital Administration program. There, in San Antonio, Sandy was born. Then followed a series of assignments as an Executive Officer in U.S. Army Hospitals in Landstuhl, Germany, Indianapolis, Fort Hood, Texas -- where he was promoted to Colonel -- and then Fort Benning, Georgia where he retired in Ma,y 1973, having been awarded the prestigious Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal for his exemplary service. The family then moved to Houston where Paul began a second distinguished career as a hospital administrator in Texas, first at Hermann Hospital, then Houston Northwest Medical Center, Rusk State Hospital, Memorial Southwest Hospital, and finally as vice president for project and construction management for Memorial Care Systems. Paul was a Fellow of the American College of Hospital Administrators and served as a Regent-at-Large. After his second retirement, he came full circle by volunteering in the Memorial Southwest Hospital pharmacy well into his 80’s. Throughout his career, military and civilian, Paul received the highest praise and commendations from his superiors, his colleagues and everyone who worked with him and for him. He treated every single employee and co-worker with respect and kindness, and their genuine affection and love for him was on display for all to see. His accolades, awards, and heartfelt tributes filled every inch of all four walls of his study.

With Paul, family always came first. His wife and children fondly remember camping vacations while stationed in Germany to Holland, Denmark, Norway, France and Italy, with Paul bravely piloting a vintage VW bus. Wonderful annual family vacations continued throughout his lifetime. The family grew in number from six to twelve, with spouses and grandchildren included, and the locales varied from cruise ships to tropical islands. They are memories his grateful family will always cherish.

Regardless of location, military or civilian, Paul always managed to locate and participate in a weekly poker game. Before the age of modern communication, he was an avid Ham radio operator, (W5SOE) tapping Morse code to contacts around the world.

In 2012, Bernice and Paul moved to the University Place retirement community (originally built under his supervision). There they made many new wonderful friends and are especially grateful for the care, kindness and concern of every member of the staff and management.

Paul is survived by Bernice, his loving wife of 65 years, his beloved children Lisa (Edward) Griffith of New York City , Carol (James McMillan) Kaufman of Asheville, NC, Mark Kaufman of Houston, Sandy Bennett of New York City, and his adored grandchildren Rachael (David) Coe, Haley Bennett, and Evan Griffith.

Paul will be buried with full military honors in Kehillath Jacob cemetery in Boston Massachusetts, where his and Bernice’s parents are buried. A memorial service in Houston will be scheduled soon. Donations in Paul’s memory can be made to the Jewish War Veterans of the USA, the National WWII Museum, Congregation Beth Yeshurun, or a charity of your choice.