Floyd Kaufman

FLOYD W KAUFMAN
Floyd William Kaufman,98, passed away at Bridgeview Estates Saturday Oct. 17,2015. He was born in Harper County, Kansas, son of Harry E Kaufman and Anne Mae Boeckner Kaufman. He attended school and business college in Kansas. He met Ida Bontrager in Kansas and they were married May 17, 1940. Floyd worked for Stearman Aircraft and later for Boeing/Beechcraft building airplanes for the war effort as WWII broke out. He built B-17s, gliders and the newer B-29 bombers for the next 2 ½ years. Floyd then was employed by the Army Air Force in Wichita as an inspector of Beech Aircraft where he remained until the war ended. After the war Floyd and Ida bought a farm in Newton Kansas where they had their two older sons Larry and Ray.
In 1947 Floyd and Ida went to Idaho on a hunting trip and fell in love with the mountains and deer hunting opportunities there. They soon moved to Idaho and purchased a 160 acre irrigated farm between Buhl and Castleford. They later bought an adjoining 160 acres and later another 40 acres. Their third son Gary was born in 1953. Floyd gradually changed from farming to cattle ranching and was the founding father of Pleasant Valley Grazing Association, where he served as the association's first president. He was also a member of the Salmon River Cattleman's Association, San Jacinto Nevada. He loved raising cattle, moving them in the fall round up in Nevada, and gathering wild mustangs, some of which he brought home to break as ranch horses.
In the later years Floyd's eyesight began to fail and they gradually sold ranch land and purchased residential and commercial properties. Floyd and Ida later moved to Bridgeview Estates in Twin Falls where they celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in May 2015.
Floyd was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters. He is survived by his wife Ida (Bontrager) Kaufman, sister Fern Bontrager and brother Glen Kaufman of Kansas, sons Larry (Marynell) Kaufman of Texas, Ray (Effie) Kaufman of Boise, Idaho and Gary (Carol) Kaufman of Twin Falls, Idaho; and 8 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.
The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the staff of Bridgeview Estates and St. Luke's Hospice for their excellent care and compassion especially in the last few weeks.
A viewing will be held between 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday October 22, 2015 at Farmer Funeral Chapel in Buhl. A graveside service will be at 11:00 a.m on Friday October 23, 2015 at the Buhl West End Cemetery.
Following the graveside service, family and friends will be gathering in the Great Room at the Bridgeview Estates, in Twin Falls from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.