Josephine Kauffman

In a quiet moment in the night, our beautiful mother, Josephine Beatrice Kauffman, left this world and joined her beloved husband Norman Pearce Kauffman, in eternity. Dementia dimmed her light in the last decades but she graced us with 88 years of love, faith and family. A bona fide beauty queen, she looked the part until the end, but her hands showed a lifetime of use, any wrinkles were from laughing and smiling.

Born in San Antonio, TX, the fourth of twelve children in the Solis family, she grew up as a migrant worker, learning the values of family and the ethics of work. Mother Felice instructed her in faith. The family settled in Detroit and she later met fellow patient Norm at the Norhtville tuberculosis hospital. Love bloomed between Josie, a dancer and Norm, a bit of a wallflower. They raised Michael (Sandy) and Richard (Arnette) Kauffman, Virginia (Brian) Falk, Phyllis (Philip) Balmforth, Dorothy (Roberto) Iannarelli, and Cristina (Brian) McMillan.

Josie always had room in the station wagon for more kids, especially cousins. Life was filled with adventure, pets, swimming, scouting, camping, and cross country travel. Josie and Norm doted on the grandchildren and created a destination, “The Farm”, in Yale, MI where they retired. Together, they remodelled a 130 year old house, where Alex, Kate(Jeremy), Kristin, Liz (John), Pearce, Ricky, Joy and Josie Kauffman, Gina (Josh), Tony, Hannah and Sophia Iannarelli, Chris & great-grandson Tommy, Ben, Phil, and Matt Balmforth, and Calvin and Tommy McMillan had the run of the place for thirty years.

She never complained and was spare in her recollections from childhood. Eventually we found out the struggles she endured. She didn’t just live through the Great Depression and World War II, she thrived. A child who learned to ask how she could help and thenas an adult  dedicated herself to others.  Norm was a great partner and protector in life and he let her do what she thought needed to be done. Demonstrating her faith, Josie was an active member in the sodality at St. Robert Bellarmine Church, ran the Chicken Dinner at the fall festival and supported overseas missionary work.

Josie was beautiful on the outside, but even more on the inside. She grew up in an ugly era of recial discrimination, and rose above stereotypes. She experienced workplace inequality but became a leader in sales, especially in jewelry at Murray’s in Redford. The beautiful thing is, she shifted her perspective in a positive direction and embraced life. She didn’t shelter us and let us see what real life was like.

Josie is survived by sisters, Margaret, Virginia, Sylvia (Jose), Alice (Patrick), Jane Ann and brother Philip. She happily reunites with her parents, Felice and Martin Sr, sister Tilly, and brothers, Martin Jr, Paul, Richard and Stephen and grandson PJ Kauffman. “There are no goodbyes for us… wherever you are you will always be in my heart” Gandhi.

A Visitation will be held at the R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Home, 15451 Farmington Rd, Livonia on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM.  A Rosary Service at 6:30 PM.  A Funeral Service will be held at the St. Priscilla Catholic Church, 19120 Purlingbrook, Livonia on Monday, March 13, 2023 at 10:00 AM.  Instate at 9:30 AM.

Please sign Josephine's guestbook.