MSGT US Air Force
Vietnam
Joan E. Kaufman, born in 1935 in Rockford, Illinois, died on December 30, 2018. She was a daughter of Henry J. and Edna V. (Resh) Kaufman.
She was raised in Winnebago, Illinois and graduated from high school in 1953 as a member of the National Honor Society. She played baseball for the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League until the League disbanded in 1954. In 1988 she was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
In 1955 she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. During her 20-year career, she received several awards, including the Air Force commendation medal four times and the Bronze Star for her service in Indo China during the Vietnam War.
Joan's service as a WAF (Women in the Air Force) was groundbreaking. As a recruiter in Chicago, she was named the WAF Recruiter of the Year. She was one of the first women to graduate from the Military Airlift Command NCO Academy, where she was a Distinguished Graduate. As a Military Training Instructor at Lackland AFB, Texas, she was the first woman to win Instructor of the Month against male competitors. Her final assignment was as Training Superintendent of the 3743rd WAF Training Squadron where she was responsible for more than 100 instructors and 5,000 women trainees each year. She retired in 1975 as a Master Sergeant.
Following retirement, she settled in San Antonio and attended San Antonio College and St. Phillips College, became a licensed realtor and a district manager for an insurance company. She operated her gift shop, "Yesterday's Treasures" for 20 years.
Joan was a lifelong avid gardener and became a Bexar County Master Gardener, serving on their Board of Directors. She also served as a Board member of her homeowners' association and for the Property Owners Association of Stone Oak. She was a member of the Eastern Star for more than 50 years.
Her parents and brothers, Thomas W. and Henry G. Kaufman, preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister, other relatives and many wonderful friends, whom she cherished as family, in San Antonio, , her former business partner, caregiver and best friend of more than 50 years.
Rest in peace, ma'am.
Vietnam
Joan E. Kaufman, born in 1935 in Rockford, Illinois, died on December 30, 2018. She was a daughter of Henry J. and Edna V. (Resh) Kaufman.
She was raised in Winnebago, Illinois and graduated from high school in 1953 as a member of the National Honor Society. She played baseball for the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League until the League disbanded in 1954. In 1988 she was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
In 1955 she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. During her 20-year career, she received several awards, including the Air Force commendation medal four times and the Bronze Star for her service in Indo China during the Vietnam War.
Joan's service as a WAF (Women in the Air Force) was groundbreaking. As a recruiter in Chicago, she was named the WAF Recruiter of the Year. She was one of the first women to graduate from the Military Airlift Command NCO Academy, where she was a Distinguished Graduate. As a Military Training Instructor at Lackland AFB, Texas, she was the first woman to win Instructor of the Month against male competitors. Her final assignment was as Training Superintendent of the 3743rd WAF Training Squadron where she was responsible for more than 100 instructors and 5,000 women trainees each year. She retired in 1975 as a Master Sergeant.
Following retirement, she settled in San Antonio and attended San Antonio College and St. Phillips College, became a licensed realtor and a district manager for an insurance company. She operated her gift shop, "Yesterday's Treasures" for 20 years.
Joan was a lifelong avid gardener and became a Bexar County Master Gardener, serving on their Board of Directors. She also served as a Board member of her homeowners' association and for the Property Owners Association of Stone Oak. She was a member of the Eastern Star for more than 50 years.
Her parents and brothers, Thomas W. and Henry G. Kaufman, preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister, other relatives and many wonderful friends, whom she cherished as family, in San Antonio, , her former business partner, caregiver and best friend of more than 50 years.
Rest in peace, ma'am.
MSGT US Air Force
Vietnam
Joan E. Kaufman, born in 1935 in Rockford, Illinois, died on December 30, 2018. She was a daughter of Henry J. and Edna V. (Resh) Kaufman.
She was raised in Winnebago, Illinois and graduated from high school in 1953 as a member of the National Honor Society. She played baseball for the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League until the League disbanded in 1954. In 1988 she was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
In 1955 she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. During her 20-year career, she received several awards, including the Air Force commendation medal four times and the Bronze Star for her service in Indo China during the Vietnam War.
Joan's service as a WAF (Women in the Air Force) was groundbreaking. As a recruiter in Chicago, she was named the WAF Recruiter of the Year. She was one of the first women to graduate from the Military Airlift Command NCO Academy, where she was a Distinguished Graduate. As a Military Training Instructor at Lackland AFB, Texas, she was the first woman to win Instructor of the Month against male competitors. Her final assignment was as Training Superintendent of the 3743rd WAF Training Squadron where she was responsible for more than 100 instructors and 5,000 women trainees each year. She retired in 1975 as a Master Sergeant.
Following retirement, she settled in San Antonio and attended San Antonio College and St. Phillips College, became a licensed realtor and a district manager for an insurance company. She operated her gift shop, "Yesterday's Treasures" for 20 years.
Joan was a lifelong avid gardener and became a Bexar County Master Gardener, serving on their Board of Directors. She also served as a Board member of her homeowners' association and for the Property Owners Association of Stone Oak. She was a member of the Eastern Star for more than 50 years.
Her parents and brothers, Thomas W. and Henry G. Kaufman, preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister, other relatives and many wonderful friends, whom she cherished as family, in San Antonio, , her former business partner, caregiver and best friend of more than 50 years.
Rest in peace, ma'am.
Vietnam
Joan E. Kaufman, born in 1935 in Rockford, Illinois, died on December 30, 2018. She was a daughter of Henry J. and Edna V. (Resh) Kaufman.
She was raised in Winnebago, Illinois and graduated from high school in 1953 as a member of the National Honor Society. She played baseball for the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League until the League disbanded in 1954. In 1988 she was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
In 1955 she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. During her 20-year career, she received several awards, including the Air Force commendation medal four times and the Bronze Star for her service in Indo China during the Vietnam War.
Joan's service as a WAF (Women in the Air Force) was groundbreaking. As a recruiter in Chicago, she was named the WAF Recruiter of the Year. She was one of the first women to graduate from the Military Airlift Command NCO Academy, where she was a Distinguished Graduate. As a Military Training Instructor at Lackland AFB, Texas, she was the first woman to win Instructor of the Month against male competitors. Her final assignment was as Training Superintendent of the 3743rd WAF Training Squadron where she was responsible for more than 100 instructors and 5,000 women trainees each year. She retired in 1975 as a Master Sergeant.
Following retirement, she settled in San Antonio and attended San Antonio College and St. Phillips College, became a licensed realtor and a district manager for an insurance company. She operated her gift shop, "Yesterday's Treasures" for 20 years.
Joan was a lifelong avid gardener and became a Bexar County Master Gardener, serving on their Board of Directors. She also served as a Board member of her homeowners' association and for the Property Owners Association of Stone Oak. She was a member of the Eastern Star for more than 50 years.
Her parents and brothers, Thomas W. and Henry G. Kaufman, preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister, other relatives and many wonderful friends, whom she cherished as family, in San Antonio, , her former business partner, caregiver and best friend of more than 50 years.
Rest in peace, ma'am.
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