Howard C Kauffmann

Howard C Kauffmann, 93, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully at home in Atlanta, GA on May 3rd, 2016. He was born February 25, 1923 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Howard C. Kauffmann and Polly Ethel (Myers) Kauffmann. He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Oklahoma College of Engineering in 1943. After graduation, he served as an Engineering Officer aboard the cruiser U.S.S. Cleveland in the Pacific until the end of World War II.

After the war he began a 39-year career in the petroleum industry, when he joined an affiliate of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, which later became Exxon Corporation (now ExxonMobil). Over the next 29 years, he worked with domestic affiliates of the company in Oklahoma, Kansas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, and Florida, and with foreign affiliates in Perú, Colombia, and England. He served as president of three Exxon foreign affiliates: International Petroleum Company, Ltd.; Esso Inter-America; and Esso Europe. In 1974, he was transferred to New York City to become a director and senior vice president of Exxon, and was elected president and chief operating officer of Exxon Corp. the following year, a position he held until his retirement in 1985.

Mr. Kauffmann served on a number of additional boards of directors, including The Chase Manhattan Corp.; Chase Manhattan Bank; United Technologies; Pfizer, Celanese; and Ryder Systems. He was also a director of the American Petroleum Institute, The New York Chamber of Commerce, The New York Partnership, The United Way of New York City, and the Business Council of New York State. He served as director and chairman of the National Council for Minorities in Engineering, vice president of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, trustee of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University, chairman of National Bible Week and as a member of the Emergency Committee for American Trade.

He received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Oklahoma Christian University and an Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from Lander University. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and the Tulsa Central High School Hall of Fame. He was a member of the University of Oklahoma College of Engineering Distinguished Graduates Society, and of Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Tau, honorary scholastic fraternities for engineering students.

Howard and Suzanne Kauffmann made their home in Atlanta since 1996. They are members of the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church of Atlanta.

Howard Kauffmann was known to all as a smart, tough, self-disciplined, fair, loyal and generous man with an admirable work ethic, playful sense of humor, and unwavering devotion to God, country and family. He will always be in the hearts and prayers of his family and friends.

Howard C Kauffmann is survived by his wife of 71 years, Suzanne McMurray Kauffmann of Atlanta, GA; four children: Dr. Lane Kauffmann, Kristine (Joe) Hope, Rev. Douglas (Sally) Kauffmann, and Scott (Shifra) Kauffmann; seven grandchildren: Anna (Brent) Germain, Dr. Travis Kauffmann, Christina (Matt) Isenhower, Dr. Rachel Hope, Matthew Hope, Evan Kauffmann, and Amelia Kauffmann; one great-grandchild, Luke Germain; and one niece, Shari Graham.

Howard Kauffmann was preceded in death by a son, Craig Kauffmann, a sister, Jean Dunlap, a brother, Donald Kauffmann, and a nephew, Richard Dunlap.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Campus Crusade for Christ International, at CRU, PO Box 628222, Orlando, FL 32862; or World Vision, at PO Box 78481, Tacoma, WA. 98481-8481 (Reference code 31003743).

For their care of Howard Kauffmann during his illness, special thanks are extended to Dr. W. Perry Ballard, III and the staffs of Piedmont Cancer Institute of Atlanta, and of Home Care Assistance of Atlanta.

The family will receive friends at 12:30 pm on Sunday, May 8th, followed by a memorial service at 2 pm, at H.M. Patterson & Son—Arlington Chapel, 173 Allen Rd, NE, Atlanta, GA 30328.