Marian Kaufman

Marian Waxelbaum Kaufman of Macon died Wednesday, March 3, 2010. A lifelong resident of the city, born December 19, 1916, she was the daughter of the late Lewis Isaac Waxelbaum and the late Marian "Mamie" Voorsanger Waxelbaum of Macon. As a girl she attended Whittle Elementary School, Miller High School, and graduated from Wesleyan College. After graduation she taught English at Lanier Junior High School for Boys until after her marriage to Gus Bernd Kaufman of Columbus and Macon, in 1944. For many years Mrs. Kaufman was an avid swimmer and tennis player, and also for 30 years participated in exercise classes at the downtown YWCA. She was a Girl Scout, and later a Girl Scout leader to both sighted and blind girl scouts. She was also active with the League of Women Voters, the Georgia Democratic Party, Macon Chapter of Hadassah, Friends of the Library, and for 11 years served on the Board of the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank. With her husband Gus Mrs. Kaufman researched and wrote four books of Macon Jewish history and genealogy. The two of them enjoyed watching baseball and tennis and were avid birdwatchers. Mrs. Kaufman devoted herself to her mother, her husband, her four children and other family members and friends, and to Temple Beth Israel, Macon's Reform Jewish synagogue, of which she was a member all her life. She served as president of its Sisterhood four times, and once as president of the Temple itself. For 54 years she headed the Sisterhood's volunteer project for adult blind people in Macon, The Chit Chat Club. This club hosts monthly lunches and programs nine times a year, serving an average of 15-20 people. Mrs. Kaufman coordinated all volunteer drivers, cooks, servers and program leaders. For service to Macon she received Temple Beth Israel's Good Neighbor Award, Wesleyan's Distinguished Alumnae Award, and to Marian and her husband Gus the Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences dedicated its Kaufman Bird Window. Mrs. Kaufman is survived by two sons and two daughters: Marianna Kaufman (partner Diana M. Aleman) and Dr. Gus B. Kaufman, Jr. of Atlanta; Lise K. Dayan and husband Sigfried Dayan of Macon; and Dr. Aaron B. Kaufman of Cedar Crest, New Mexico; and by four granddaughters - Mamie Dayan of Macon and Tallahassee; and Georgia, Caroline and Sarah Jane Kaufman of Cedar Crest. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by brothers Richard Wayburn, MD, of Irmo, SC; Lewis Wayburn of Klamath Falls, Oregon, who died three weeks ago; and a brother William who died as an infant. She is also survived by her oldest brother, Edgar Wayburn, MD, of San Francisco, a number of nieces and nephews, and many other beloved relatives and friends. The family wishes to thank Mrs. Vallie Gibson, Mrs. Patricia Lockett and Ms. Shan Marshall who took such good care of Mrs. Kaufman in recent years. A memorial service will be held at Temple Beth Israel, 892 Cherry Street, on Friday, March 5, 2010, 11 am. Burial will be at William Wolff Cemetery. The family will then receive friends back at Temple Beth Israel. On Saturday, March 6, 2010, at 2:00 pm the family will receive friends at Carlyle Place, 5300 Zebulon Road, where Mrs. Kaufman lived for the last 8 ½ years. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in her memory be made to Temple Beth Israel Sisterhood, 892 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201 or the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank, 4490 Ocmulgee East Boulevard, Macon, GA 31217. Register online at www.hartsmort.com. Hart's Mortuary and Crematory on Cherry Street has charge of arrangements.