Rev. Godfrey ‘Bird’ Ferguson Kaufman, 74, Louisville
The Rev. Godfrey “Bird” Ferguson Kaufman was born on July 5, 1948, in Louisville, Kentucky to Garland Washington Kaufman and Elizabeth Ferguson Kaufman. He entered into eternal rest on March 21, 2023, at Baptist Health Hospital. He graduated from Fern Creek High School in 1967. During his high school years, he had a drawing submitted to the J. B. Speed Museum at the University of Louisville. As a young man, he did construction work where he learned how to build houses from the ground up. He worked in Jefferson County Public Schools as Police Security. Then, he went into the Kentucky State Police Academy where he was the only minority in his class. He graduated and became a Kentucky State Police under highway enforcement. He transferred from Kentucky State Police to the State Highway Engineering Department where he helped build the southern stretch of I-65 down by Muldrow Hill as an engineer. He also was bestowed the honor of being a Kentucky Colonel.
He loved to work with his hands from woodworking, construction tasks, and mechanic work. He would love to help people with a host of small construction projects and problems. Rev. Kaufman was the interim pastor of Fairfield Second Baptist Church and was the former pastor of 1st Baptist Church Bardstown in Bardstown, Kentucky.
He is survived by his wife Patricia Kaufman and a host of children and grandchildren: Two sons Rev. Dr. M. L. Kaufman (wife Dr. Deanna Wathington-Kaufman) & Brian James Harwell (IIshia Godwin significant other; Grand Children: Jewel, Demetrius, Brain Jr., and Micah Harwell), One Daughter: Daphne Humphrey. He has two stepchildren Angela Fogle (Grandchildren: Justice, Jada, Nehemiah, and Jeremiah Fogle) & Corey Fogle
He is one of seven siblings listed here by order of birth: Rev. Dr. Leonardo “Scoopy” DeVincent Kaufman Sr. (Deceased; Survived by Spouse Joyce Kaufman), Garlanda Wasina Kaufman, Hartford “Man” Bellamy Kaufman Sr., Dr. Marcia “Porky” Jean Kaufman (Deceased), Rev. Gerald Ray Kaufman (Wife Evelyn Kaufman), Rev. Rodney “Teeny” Shaddai Kaufman Sr. (Wife Margarete Kaufman) and 24 nieces and nephews along with a host of grand nieces and nephews.
In following Rev. Godfrey Kaufman’s wishes, cremation was chosen. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm, Saturday, March 25, 2023 at Southeast Christian Church, 2nd Floor Chapel, 920 Blankenbaker Pkwy Louisville, KY 40243. The family will receive visitors at the Church from 12:00 noon until time of the memorial service. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home in Bardstown.
In following his wishes, cremation was chosen.
The memorial service is 1 p.m. Sunday, March 25, 2023, in the 2nd floor chapel of Southeast Christian Church, 920 Blankenbaker Pkwy in Louisville.
Visitation is noon to 1 p.m. at the church.
The Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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