Frederic S. Kaufman

Frederic S. Kaufman, Jr., devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, died peacefully at home in Marietta, GA, on February 2, 2026, with family close by. He was 95.

Fred–to everyone who knew him–was born December 21, 1930, in Scarsdale, NY, to Frederic S. Kaufman, Sr., and Elizabeth Arnold Kaufman. He grew up summering on Nantucket, working at the tennis and yacht club and developing a lifelong love of the game.

He went on to graduate from Princeton University in 1952 with a degree in chemical engineering. While at Princeton, Fred turned his passion for ice cream into a small side business: collecting 29-cent ice cream orders from classmates, biking to the store to pick them up, and earning a free pint from the shop owner in appreciation for the additional customers.

After serving two years in the U.S. Army, Fred began a 30-year career in the plastics industry with Sinclair Koppers, later ARCO Chemical. A polyethylene R&D specialist, he was an early advocate for addressing the environmental impact of plastics and contributed to the development of the recycling identification numbers on plastic packaging.

Not surprisingly, Fred met his wife, Carolyn Nagel, on a tennis court. They married in 1953 and raised three children in Sewickley, PA, where they lived for 25 years. They later moved to Newtown Square, PA, as his career progressed before eventually retiring to idyllic New London, NH (where Carolyn had attended Colby-Sawyer College). While there, Fred established the Messer Pond Protective Association and was a dedicated supporter of Colby-Sawyer College, serving on the President's Advisory Council, mentoring students, and backing the Chargers Club Annual Tennis Classic.

In 1990, he and Carolyn built a home that became a special family gathering place, especially for his grandchildren. Fred loved the arts, tracking his stocks, sunsets over Messer Pond, and swimming in Little Lake Sunapee. He also never met a dog he didn't like and once estimated that he had owned 32 canines over the course of his lifetime. Fred had a great sense of humor and was known for his clever practical jokes. Even at the end, he was making people laugh, but more than anything, he will be remembered for his kindness, decency, and loyalty.

In 2014, Fred and Carolyn moved to Marietta, GA, to be closer to their children. He was preceded in death by Carolyn in 2019, and his sister Joan Caley. He is survived by his children: Donna Taylor (late husband Duncan); Scott Kaufman (Suzanne); and Suzanne Rice (Kevin). He is also survived by seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He was a great role model for his family and will be profoundly missed.

In his memory, donations may be made to the Messer Pond Protective Association, P.O. Box 103, New London, NH 03257-0103, or online at www.messerpond.org.