Walter Vane Kaufman

Walter Vane Kaufman 65, died unexpectedly the morning of Mon, April 17, 2006. He was in Mendocino abalone diving, a sport he very much loved to do, when he had a cardiac event. Walt was born in San Francisco to Herbert C. and Olive G. (Vane) Kaufman. Justice Herbert Kaufman worked in the 1st District Court of Appeals, San Francisco from 1939 to 1963. Olive Kaufman moved her family to Palo Alto in 1948 where Walt attended local public schools and graduated from Cubberley High. He then went to Foothill Junior College where he installed an FM radio station for the college. He transferred to University of Nevada, Reno and then to Chico State where he graduated in 1967. He made his home in Mountain View where he worked for Lockheed, Litton, Loral and many other local companies. Walt had retired from his career as a hybrid laser engineer in the San Jose area, to his mountain cabin in Big Trees Village, Calaveras County about 10 years ago. Walt will be missed by the many people who passed through his life. He enjoyed Civil Air Patrol, amateur radio, fly fishing, wood working, SCUBA and free diving, snow skiing and Jeep Geo-caching. Walt is survived by his two daughters, Kerry Friedrichs and her husband George and their daughter Keris; and Kristina Kaufman, all of Reno, NV. He is also survived by his elder brother Herb Kaufman and family of San Francisco and his twin sister, Kate Cornwall, of Woodland. The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, May 6th at 1pm at the Timm Residence: 21150 Rakstad Road, San Jose, CA 95120. In lieu of flowers, please send any donations to the American Heart Association, Toulumne/Calaveras Division, 1212 W. Robinhood Drive , Stockton, CA 95207 (209) 477-2683, or your favorite charity, in Walt Kaufman's name.