OBITUARY: EX-MAYPOR KAUFMANN DIES...Former St. Louis Mayor Aloys P.Kaufmann, who had been involved in many major civic and charitablecampaigns in the city over the last 40 years, died Sunday at the age of81.

ALOYS P. KAUFMANN
Published: February 15, 1984
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 14— Aloys P. Kaufmann, the city's last Republican Mayor, died Sunday at Barnes Hospital after a long fight against cancer, which was complicated by heart trouble.
He was 81 years old.
In 1943, when Mr. Kaufmann was president of the Board of Aldermen, Mayor William D. Becker was killed in a glider accident and Mr. Kaufmann succeeded him by law. Mr. Kaufmann was later elected to fill Mayor Becker's unexpired term and in 1945 he won election to a four-year term.
Mr. Kaufmann, a lawyer, left politics in 1949 and became president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Survivors include a son, Michael.

Aloys P. Kaufmann (Mayor 1943-1949)-Background
Mayor (1943-1949). Aloys P. Kaufmann was born in St. Louis, Missouri on December 23, 1902. He attended school in St. Louis and was graduated from the Benton College of Law with an LL.B degree in 1928 and LL.M. in 1929. In 1943 he married Miss Margaret Uding. A son was born during his term as Mayor.
In 1938 Kaufmann began the practice of law. From 1936 to 1943 he was a member of the Republican Party City Central Committee. In the April city election of 1943 he became President of the Board of Alderman.

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Aloys P. Kaufmann (Mayor 1943-1949)-Administration
In 1943 Aloys P. Kaufmann became the fortieth Mayor of St. Louis.
With the death of Mayor Becker, Kaufmann succeeded to the Mayor's office according to the provisions of the City Charter. In November of 1944 St. Louis voted so heavily Democratic that it saved the state for the Democratic national and a state ticket. But it elected Republican Kaufmann to fill out the unexpired term of Mayor Becker.
During his first year in office, Kaufmann helped outline the Post-War Public Improvements Program which became the $43,000,000 City bond issue, passed on August 1, 1944. Among the 11 items voted in this bond issue was one for airport expansion. The size of Lambert Field Municipal Airport was increased from 350 to 1400 acres.
Mayor Kaufmann wrote a 36 page plea for the enlargement of St. Louis boundaries, to the Missouri Constitutional Convention of 1943-1944. He said: 'St. Louis had outgrown its established boundaries and had expanded far out into the County of St. Louis. The urbanized area contiguous to St. Louis of right ought to be reorganized as a part of the City. The Constitutional Convention is urged to extend the boundaries of St. Louis to coincide with its normal growth and expansion as was heretofore done on four different occasions.'
Some of the most important legislative achievements during Kaufmann's administration included the following. The Rat Control System of the Health Department was established in 1946. A Division of Refuse Collection was added to the Department of Streets in 1947. The first St. Louis Earnings Tax Ordinance was passed in 1946, but was declared unconstitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court, because it said the State Legislature had not granted such a right to tax the City of St. Louis. All collections were returned. The first effective Earnings Tax became law in 1948, after an Enabling Act was passed by the Missouri Legislature. A new City Building Code took effect in 1945 and was revised in 1948.

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Aloys P. Kaufmann (Mayor 1943-1949)-Post-Administration
After serving as Mayor, Aloys P. Kaufmann returned to law practice. In 1954 he became President of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis.
Aloys P. Kaufmann died on February 12, 1984.

OBITUARY: EX-MAYPOR KAUFMANN DIES...Former St. Louis Mayor Aloys P.Kaufmann, who had been involved in many major civic and charitablecampaigns in the city over the last 40 years, died Sunday at the age of81.

ALOYS P. KAUFMANN
Published: February 15, 1984
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 14— Aloys P. Kaufmann, the city's last Republican Mayor, died Sunday at Barnes Hospital after a long fight against cancer, which was complicated by heart trouble.
He was 81 years old.
In 1943, when Mr. Kaufmann was president of the Board of Aldermen, Mayor William D. Becker was killed in a glider accident and Mr. Kaufmann succeeded him by law. Mr. Kaufmann was later elected to fill Mayor Becker's unexpired term and in 1945 he won election to a four-year term.
Mr. Kaufmann, a lawyer, left politics in 1949 and became president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Survivors include a son, Michael.

Aloys P. Kaufmann (Mayor 1943-1949)-Background
Mayor (1943-1949). Aloys P. Kaufmann was born in St. Louis, Missouri on December 23, 1902. He attended school in St. Louis and was graduated from the Benton College of Law with an LL.B degree in 1928 and LL.M. in 1929. In 1943 he married Miss Margaret Uding. A son was born during his term as Mayor.
In 1938 Kaufmann began the practice of law. From 1936 to 1943 he was a member of the Republican Party City Central Committee. In the April city election of 1943 he became President of the Board of Alderman.

Back to the top


Aloys P. Kaufmann (Mayor 1943-1949)-Administration
In 1943 Aloys P. Kaufmann became the fortieth Mayor of St. Louis.
With the death of Mayor Becker, Kaufmann succeeded to the Mayor's office according to the provisions of the City Charter. In November of 1944 St. Louis voted so heavily Democratic that it saved the state for the Democratic national and a state ticket. But it elected Republican Kaufmann to fill out the unexpired term of Mayor Becker.
During his first year in office, Kaufmann helped outline the Post-War Public Improvements Program which became the $43,000,000 City bond issue, passed on August 1, 1944. Among the 11 items voted in this bond issue was one for airport expansion. The size of Lambert Field Municipal Airport was increased from 350 to 1400 acres.
Mayor Kaufmann wrote a 36 page plea for the enlargement of St. Louis boundaries, to the Missouri Constitutional Convention of 1943-1944. He said: 'St. Louis had outgrown its established boundaries and had expanded far out into the County of St. Louis. The urbanized area contiguous to St. Louis of right ought to be reorganized as a part of the City. The Constitutional Convention is urged to extend the boundaries of St. Louis to coincide with its normal growth and expansion as was heretofore done on four different occasions.'
Some of the most important legislative achievements during Kaufmann's administration included the following. The Rat Control System of the Health Department was established in 1946. A Division of Refuse Collection was added to the Department of Streets in 1947. The first St. Louis Earnings Tax Ordinance was passed in 1946, but was declared unconstitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court, because it said the State Legislature had not granted such a right to tax the City of St. Louis. All collections were returned. The first effective Earnings Tax became law in 1948, after an Enabling Act was passed by the Missouri Legislature. A new City Building Code took effect in 1945 and was revised in 1948.

Back to the top


Aloys P. Kaufmann (Mayor 1943-1949)-Post-Administration
After serving as Mayor, Aloys P. Kaufmann returned to law practice. In 1954 he became President of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis.
Aloys P. Kaufmann died on February 12, 1984.