Robert John Kauffman

1939 - 2025

Robert John Kauffman
06/08/1939 - 09/16/2025
Robert "Bob" John Kauffman, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, the 16th of September 2025, after an eight-month battle with Glioblastoma. Born in San Francisco on the 8th of June 1939, Bob lived a remarkable life filled with love, adventure, and leadership. He was 86 years of age.
He married Barbara Lindner in 1963, and together they shared sixty-four years of devotion, family, and travel. Bob is survived by his wife, Barbara; his children, Doug (Shelley), Dan (Kerri), and Gail; his five grandchildren, Morgan (Josh), Evan, Ansley, Simon and Jake; his brother, Donald and family; and the family of his late sister, Barbara Ferer.
A graduate of UC Berkeley, Bob served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve before becoming owner and CEO of Suniland Furniture for more than thirty years. He later consulted abroad with the International Executive Service Corps. Bob held numerous leadership roles in Houston civic and arts organizations, including the Retail Merchants Association, United Way, Houston Grand Opera, and Houston Ballet, and served as Co-President of the Crested Butte Music Festival.
An avid athlete and outdoorsman, Bob completed marathons and pursued a lifelong passion for travel, fishing, hunting, skiing, and the arts.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate caregivers at Fidus Healthcare and to Juanito Barroga, whose kindness and devotion brought comfort and peace during his final months.
A celebration of Bob's life is to be conducted at eleven o'clock in the morning on Saturday, the 1st of November, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.
Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent grand foyer.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be made in Bob's memory to Houston Grand Opera at houstongrandopera.org or to a charity of your choice.
Please visit Mr. Kauffman's online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com where memories and words of comfort and condolence may be shared with his family.