Gordon Kauffman (far left) served on the HCJB Global Board of Directors, pictured in 1983, when Ron Cline (front row, center) was president.

(July 18, 2013 - by Ralph Kurtenbach) Accepting an invitation to serve in international missions, Gordon Kauffman Sr. joined an evangelical agency's board of directors to offer his expertise and help with budgeting, audits and long term financial projections.

"We didn't have a lot of non-missionaries on the board at that time," said Ron Cline, who just a year later became president of the mission, HCJB Global. He said that Kauffman was just the third "outsider" in the agency's 50-year history to serve alongside missionaries on the board. "Gordon brought a knowledge and expertise in finances, in specific areas, that we had never had on the board," said Cline, who now is the mission's global ambassador.

Born in Chicago on Sept. 5, 1917, Kauffman later became a certified public accountant. Eventually his career choice resulted in his being partner in charge of the Grand Rapids, Mich. office for the firm Deloitte & Touche.

For 25 years he and his wife, Jeanne, raised their family in Grand Rapids. Through the years there, they attended and served at Immanuel Reformed Church and Calvary Church, both in Grand Rapids. They supported numerous mission endeavors throughout the world.

In addition to serving on the board of HCJB Global of Trustees from 1981-86, Kauffman was president of the Grand Rapids Round Table and was a member of the University Club. He served as a board member with the Mutual Home Federal Savings and Loan Association.

In his free time he enjoyed watching baseball and college football. He was an avid hunter and enjoyed fishing. The Kauffmans enjoyed summer vacations at their cottage on Big Star Lake.

During Kauffman's time on the board, Cline found him to be "a man of wisdom and integrity." The Kauffmans opened their home to missionaries passing through Grand Rapids, according to Cline. "Even after he completed his three terms on the board, he continued to help when asked, and continued to be at the HCJB events as possible," he said.

Gordon Kauffman 1917-2013

Kauffman, died on Tuesday, June 11, in Barrington, Ill., just months after Jeanne's death in February. He was 95. Survivors include a son, Gordon L. Jr.; daughters Christie, Pam (Jon) Sneed, Cindy Stravers and Sandi (Stephen) Freed; 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

The funeral service was held on Tuesday, June 18, at Zaagman Memorial Chapel in Grand Rapids, Mich., with graveside services at Pine Grove Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Mel Trotter Mission, 225 Commerce Ave. SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503,

Sources: HCJB Global, ZoomInfo.com, Zaagman Memorial Chapel