?Donald J. Kaufman, Sr. May 29, 1928-March 21, 2018

Donald J. Kaufman, May 29, 1928-March 21, 2018 Donald James Kaufman Sr., a longtime area university professor and pioneer in data management for Monsanto, passed away Wednesday, March 21, surrounded by family. He was 89.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday March 27 at Ladue Chapel, 9450 Clayton Road, St. Louis, Mo 63124.

Donald was born May 29, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois to Morey Kaufman and Hazel Mortenson. He was an Illinois State Champion swimmer for New Trier High School and a freshman All-American swimmer at Northwestern University in Evanston before contracting polio at age 18.

He married the former Lois Nuckols on July 9, 1952, and moved to St. Louis to become a professor at Washington University, where he helped create the school’s computer science program. He moved on to Monsanto, where he spent 25 years and helped build the company’s data management department and also trained other managers.

After taking early retirement from Monsanto, Don returned to teaching, his first love. He taught writing, information systems, statistics and more for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Webster University, Lindenwood College and Maryville University, where he spent 18 years and closed out his career.

In his free time Don helped Lois raise four boys – Donald James Jr., Douglas Jon, Robert Charles and Scott Christopher. He was very active as a coach and leader in their Khoury League baseball teams, Boy Scouts and Indian Guides. Despite losing the use of his left leg due to the polio, Don was an avid swimmer, golfer and bowler and also played softball and canoed. He gave freely of his time to his family.

He was a voracious bibliophile, a fantastic cook who authored “The Opinionated Cook” cookbook, had a razor sharp sense of humor honed by his great wit and made sarcasm an art form. He was a lay leader for many years at Ladue Chapel, including time as a deacon and elder. He loved to tell stories, laugh out loud at his own and other people’s jokes and particularly enjoyed family gatherings and socializing with friends.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Morey and Hazel, Morey’s second wife Kathleen “Kitty” Kaufman, and his beloved wife of nearly 53 years, Lois. He is survived by his sisters Ann May (Ron, deceased) of Minneapolis, MN, Pat Merlen (Marcel) of Provence, France, and sons Donald Kaufman (Marian) of Harlan, IA, Douglas Kaufman of St. Louis, Robert Kaufman (Susan) of Baton Rouge, LA and Scott Kaufman (Sharon) of St. Louis, plus grandchildren Melissa, Ben (Casey) and Becky Kaufman, Stephen Kaufman, Rick (Jennifer) and Tim Palmer and great- grandchildren Zach Koepke, Layna and Olivia Kaufman, and Harper and Addison Palmer. A sixth great-grandchild, Madison Kaufman, was stillborn.

Memorial donations can be made to St. Luke’s Hospital, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in memory of Lois, Ladue Chapel or Mark Twain Manor.