John Jaye Kauffman

John Jaye Kauffman, 79, of Kingston, GA, passed away on November 13, 2023 after an unexpected and brief battle with cancer. He was born on July 5, 1944, in Normal, Illinois. John was an industrious and forward thinking man who was well-respected in his community.

John was a man of Christian integrity who lived by the principle of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” He wanted you to know what he believed by how he lived. He was a faithful and loyal husband to his beloved wife, Evelyn Ann Best Kauffman. John and Ann were married for 57 years. His children all mourn the loss of their father.

John is survived by his wife, Ann, and their children: Bethany and Eric Ross, John Kauffman, Mark and Aira Kauffman, Rebekah and J. Michael Smith, David Kauffman, and Cherith Broers. He was a proud grandfather to Blaise Ross, Gunnar Ross, Ambrose Ross, Tyndale Ross, Augustine Ross, Jubilee Ross, Luther Ross, Annia Kauffman, Hana Kauffman, Ariel Smith Clarke, Michael Smith, Sage Smith, Morgan Gavin, and Wyatt Reinhart.

John was preceded in death by his father, John Jonathon Kauffman, his mother, M. Loretta Widmer Kauffman Funk, his sister, Vyra Dean Stoller, and his sister, Claire Ann Kauffman.

John began his educational journey at Congerville Elementary School and El Paso High School in Illinois. He furthered his education at Nashville Auto Diesel College in Nashville, TN, Multnomah School of the Bible in Portland, OR, and Illinois State University in Normal, IL, where he obtained a B.S. in Business Education and pursued additional masters courses.

John served his country with honor in the US Army from February 1969 to January 1971.

Throughout his career, John was an Illinois Real Estate Broker specializing in Apartment Management. He owned and operated Kauffman Real Estate Consultants and Kauffman Apartments from 1973 to 1979 and from 1984 to 2020 in Bloomington-Normal, IL. John purchased and worked a 448-acre hay and cattle farm in Missouri near Edwards from 1980 to 1984. In 2020, he retired from the apartment business and moved to Kingston, GA.

John had a strong faith and was an active member of East White Oak Bible Church in Carlock, Illinois, from 1966 to 2020. He also enjoyed attending Heartland Community Church in Normal, IL. As a child, he had attended the Apostolic Christian Church of Morton, IL. After he retired to Georgia, he was glad to become a member of Faith Baptist Church of Kingston, GA.

In his free time, John enjoyed various hobbies. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, trapping, fishing, and raising animals of all kinds. He also had a passion for basketball, baseball, big dogs, and horses of every size. John had an entrepreneurial spirit and always embraced new business adventures, whether they entailed plowing snow or raising rabbits. He specialized in creative mutually beneficial business opportunities.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Faith Baptist Church on Saturday, December 9, at 3 p.m. The church is located at 15 Carroll Slough Road in Kingston, Georgia. The burial will be held on December 11 at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA, at 1:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to be made to Faith Baptist Church for the Come To The Table ministry, which provides assistance to a local homeless and underprivileged community. John was passionate about volunteering with ministries focused on providing food to the hungry. He was eager to help a friend or neighbor in need, generous with his time, money, and tools.

John Jaye Kauffman will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who had the pleasure of knowing him. His kindness, generosity, and unwavering integrity will leave a lasting impact on the lives he touched. May his memory be a blessing.