Esther K. (Kanode) Kauffman
October 4, 1920 — January 21, 2015
Esther K. (Kanode) Kauffman
Esther Kanode Kauffman, age 94, of Mechanicsburg , and formerly of Bedford , died Wednesday, January 21, 2015, at Messiah Lifeways, Mechanicsburg, PA. Esther was born October 4, 1920 on a farm near Washington Boro, PA. She was predeceased by her parents, William Ober Kanode and Anna Wolgemuth (Ginder) Kanode; her husband, Rev. N. Blain Kauffman, whom she married on April 14, 1962; three brothers; and one sister.
Esther’s survivors include her sisters: Ruth Winter, Rockford, IL, Barbara Galebach, Lititz PA, Mary Hostetter, Bedford, PA; brothers: John, Houma, LA, Isaac and Earl, Elizabethtown, PA; her step-children: Blain Jr., Hanover, PA, Delores Wingert, Chambersburg, PA, J. Earl, Mount Joy, PA; her nine grandchildren; her 14 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Esther graduated from Messiah College in 1952 and served as a missionary at BIC Chicago Mission from 1948-50 and Houghton Mission, Ontario, from 1952-53. She served in her local church as a Sunday School teacher, chorister, children talks, VBS, pianist, organist, and pastor’s wife. Esther worked as a bank clerk and secretary to the administrator of the BIC Missions. She started a Christian bookstore in her home and moved the store to Bedford, PA in 1981.
All are welcome to join Esther’s family for her visitation at 2:30 p.m. and service at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at Messiah Lifeways Chapel . In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Paxton Ministries, 2001 Paxton Street, Harrisburg, PA 17111 or Messiah Lifeways, 100 Mt. Allen Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. To honor Esther’s commitment to health and education, her body has been donated to Pennsylvania Humanity Gifts Registry .
Esther’s family has entrusted her care to Myers - Buhrig Funeral Home and Crematory in Mechanicsburg, (717) 766-3421. For complete service information, to read Esther’s full obituary, and to sign her official guest book, please visit www.Myers-Buhrig.com .