H Ronald Kaufman

Ron was born on July 6, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois, to Harry and Annette Kaufman. He lived in Des Plaines his whole life and graduated from Maine East High School. A lifelong learner, he attended more than 25 different universities throughout his life, always eager to pursue more knowledge in the subjects that fascinated him most-particularly the social sciences, including economics, history, politics, and geography. His curiosity also took him far beyond the classroom, and he enjoyed traveling the world, always eager to see firsthand the places and cultures connected to the history he loved.

Ron devoted his professional life to education, working as a high school social studies teacher for 37 years at Mather, Taft, Arlington Heights, and Prospect High Schools. He was deeply passionate about the subjects he taught and was known for bringing history to life for his students. One of his favorite ways to do this was by organizing and leading many field trips over the years, giving students the opportunity to experience history beyond the classroom.

In retirement, Ron enjoyed spending time with his family and continuing to feed his endlessly curious mind. He often attended lectures at nearby universities and at the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations. He also enjoyed watching his finance programs and following the stock market daily. An avid reader for much of his life, Ron continued reading until his eyesight began to fail. Until the very end, he also looked forward to the simple pleasure of a good meal.

Ron was known for his gift of conversation. He had a remarkable ability to strike up conversations with strangers, quickly finding common ground and making people feel seen and valued. Connecting with others truly brought him to life.

Ron also had a deep love for animals, especially cats. Over the years he gave many of his beloved feline companions safe, loving homes and was a devoted supporter of organizations dedicated to rescuing and caring for cats.

Ron passed peacefully, just as he had often said he hoped he would-"gently into the night," echoing the well-known line from poet Dylan Thomas.

Ron is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Betty J. Kaufman; his daughters, Sharon (Tom) Nutter and Susan (Florian) Zwyssig; his five grandchildren, Janae (Reed) Hanson, Natalie Nutter, Danielle Nutter, Luc Zwyssig, and Oliver Zwyssig; and his two great-grandsons, Henry Hanson and Marcus Hanson.

He will be deeply missed by his family and all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to either the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) https://secure.ASPCA.org or the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) https://www.nfcr.org