Karlene Dorthea Kaufmann

Karlene D. Kaufmann passed away on November 19, 2018 of congestive heart failure.  Mrs. Kaufmann was born Karlene Dorthea Werwath in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on January 30, 1940.  She attended Shorewood High School in Milwaukee and Lake Forest College in Illinois, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Music.  She moved to Frederick, Maryland in 1972 where she taught elementary music and directed the children’s choir at Trinity Methodist and Evangelical Lutheran churches.

Mrs. Kaufmann was a wonderful part of the community fabric.  Then in 1984, she suffered from toxic shock syndrome; narrowly escaping death, she lost both of her legs below the knee and all of her fingers after the first joints.

Coming through that near-death experience, she emerged as a beacon of hope, inspiration, and courage for her family, friends, and the community.  She relearned how to walk on prostheses, drive a car with hand gears, and knit beautiful gifts with her tiny fingers.  She even played the piano again.  Mrs. Kaufmann then returned to school and earned a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland so she could help others.  She went on to counsel amputees and hospice patients.  She was most proud of her time as President of the Frederick County Commission on Disabilities, on which she served for seven years making Frederick County facilities accessible to those with handicaps.  She also co-owned a knitting shop called Self Expressions, sharing her love of knitting with the community.  She later generously volunteered her time teaching knitting at senior centers.  She always took time to listen to her friends and offer kind words for those in need.  She was ever so thoughtful, always coming up with the perfect gift for those around her.

She fiercely loved her family.  She is survived by three daughters, Susan Kaufmann Nash, of Abu Dhabi, UAE, Dr. Sandra Kaufmann, of Miami, Florida, and Katherine Kaufmann, of San Francisco, California, her son-in-laws William L. Nash III and Phillip Hudson III, and four granddaughters, Charlotte and Julia Nash, and Sierra and Scout Hudson.  Her family is extremely grateful to her dear friends who stood by her through it all.

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at Grace United Church of Christ, 25 East 2nd Street, Frederick, Maryland, on December 4, 2018 at 5pm.  She will be buried at Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her parents and ancestors.

Online Condolences can be made at www.KeeneyBasford.com