Brynlee Sawyer Kaufman
Brynlee Sawyer Kaufman, age 11, passed away on February 7, 2023, at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Brynlee was born on January 12, 2012, and was the beloved daughter of Jocelyn Blaschko and Dieter Kaufman, of Litchfield Park, Arizona. Brynlee’s cardiologist, Dr. Papez, once said, “Brynlee is a pink zebra in the woods. We’ve never seen one but know that one exists.” Brynlee was exactly that and was surely one of a kind! She touched many lives in her 11 short years through her sweetness and sassiness, her kindness and her tenacity, her friendship and her feistiness. Through Inclusion Revolution at Palm Valley Elementary, where Brynlee loved going to school every day over the past 6 years, she gained more friends than one can imagine.
Brynlee loved horseback riding, swimming, cooking, singing, and dancing. Any day was a great day to bake a birthday cake and she was never afraid to steal the show by grabbing the microphone and taking the stage. She had an imagination like no other and loved spending her days dressed as a police officer capturing 4 legged criminals, being a teacher demanding daddy’s friends pay attention and recite the alphabet rather than watch the football game, and taking your McDonald’s order, only to give you choices and then tell you exactly what you wanted to order. She loved dressing up as an astronaut, firefighter, doctor, police officer, and chef and directing whomever was playing with her to do just what she wanted them to do. Brynlee loved going to the big park, the swing park, and the beach. She adored her dogs, Indi Ro and Baylee Biscuit.
Brynlee was preceded in death by her maternal grandfather, Neil Blaschko. Brynlee is survived by her parents, Jocelyn and Dieter; maternal grandmother, Jacquelyn “Ma Jackie” Blaschko; paternal grandparents, Saundra “Ma Soni” and Steven “Papa” Kaufman; aunts and uncles, Neilla Rae Blaschko, Kathryn (Dee Warneking) Blaschko, Kristi Evans, Kathy Kaufman, and Erika (Joe) Mrdja; cousins, Taylor Blaschko, Richie Evans, Jordan Evans, Christopher (Francis) Evans, Dawson Mrdja, Grayson Mrdja, Ashton Mrdja, Edith “Edie” Mrdja, Bowden Evans, Berkeley Evans, and Aurora Evans; and extended family, Kathy “Aunt Kacky” Schmitt, Godparents, Mike and Diane Hanson, and her caregiver and “happy place”, Miss Jessie Schooley.
A service of remembrance will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at the Franciscan Renewal Center, 5802 E Lincoln Dr. Scottsdale, AZ 85253, followed by a Celebration of Life reception from 2:00-4:00pm. Please follow this link if you would like to join the livestream service.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Brynlee’s name can be made to Hope Kids, Sharing Down Syndrome, GiGi’s Playhouse, and Phoenix Children’s Hospital.