ROBERT FRANK KAUFMANN

Robert Frank Kaufmann, 82, PH.D., husband, father, grandfather, veteran, mentor and friend, passed away on August 4, 2022. He is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Alice; daughters Christine and Amy; son Scott (Emily); grandchildren Mckenna, Harper, Layla and Ford; and brother-in-law Gary. Born June 23, 1940, to George and Frieda Kaufmann, Robert grew up in Valley Stream, N.Y., with his older brother George. He earned his B.S. in geology from Villanova University while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps ROTC, then a master’s degree in geology at Ohio State, where he and Alice met. They married at the Marine Corps Chapel in Quantico, Va., in 1964. Daughter Christine was born while Robert served his country as a Marine Corps Captain in Vietnam, followed by Amy and Scott on his return—and a busy family life while he earned his second master’s degree in water resources management and PH.D. in geology and geophysics from the University of Wisconsin. Go Buckeyes! Go Badgers! Bob and Alice came to Las Vegas in June 1970, and he loved this beautiful desert. He worked at Desert Research Institute, then the U.S. EPA, followed by years of private hydrogeology consulting, including his company, The MARK Group. He mentored young scientists and was called as an expert witness in many geotechnical cases. Camping, boating and hunting all over the West, working outside and at his workbench—he was never one to stay still, and Alice and the kids had to keep up! He was a scholar, a scientist, a hell of a writer and joke teller, an absolute Renaissance Man. His handwritten notes were meticulous and voluminous, his mind was razor sharp, he was curious about everything and quick to help you with any repair, any challenge big or small, and any hurt. He gave the very best advice and you always wondered how anyone could know so much about so many subjects. He was a devoted son to Frieda, who moved to Las Vegas, and a lionhearted advocate for his children and grandchildren alike, supporting and endlessly encouraging their education and growth. Robert was a Knights of Columbus and Las Vegas Rotary Club member for years, graduate of Leadership Las Vegas and a board member at HELP of Southern Nevada. He and Alice were active at Christ the King Catholic Community and Holy Spirit Catholic Church, making lifelong friends along the way. Robert lived with atypical ALS for 12 years and motor neuron disease for close to 3 decades. He bore unbearably much with superhuman strength and unrelenting grace. “Never, never, never give up,” by Winston Churchill was his favorite quote. And he never, never, never did. Alice’s care, great love and comfort sustained him, and the VA helped ease the burden in later years. Our hearts are broken, and we will miss him each and every day. But we can still talk to Bob, to Dad, to Pop-pop in our hearts and listen quietly for his wonderful advice. A mass for Robert will be held Saturday, Sept. 10, at 10 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 5830 Mesa Park Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89135. Private services at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City will be held at a later date. Donations in memory of Robert Kaufmann may be made to Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) at https://secure.pva.org.