Rest In Peace, My Beautiful Brother

My brother Tim, at rest with God, October 5, 2008 at 8:00 pm. Tim, age 49, died peacefully tonight with his family at his side, after falling into coma this weekend. I was able to hold his hand, tell him I love him, and whispered that it was okay to let go.

This photo was from Christmas 2007.

Addition 10/8/08:

This was a really lovely obituary notice, written by a local correspondent:

Cop always ready to help

October 7, 2008

BY WILLIAM LEE, staff writer

At the first signs of trouble, Tim Kaufmann was the type of cop who would spring to action without being asked.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he joined a group of Chicago officers who traveled to New York City's ground zero to help out.

The Evergreen Park father of five died Sunday from brain cancer, his family said. He was 49.

Mr. Kaufmann had a long and distinguished career with the sheriff's department, most recently heading its Internal Affairs Division.
During his 25-year career, Mr. Kaufmann received recognition and awards, including a life-saving award for quickly freeing a family of four from a car wreck as gasoline gushed from a ruptured tank in 1995.

He also served as an undercover officer, pretending to be the owner of a bogus pawn shop to bust up a theft operation and also later posing as a hitman whom a housewife tried to hire to kill her husband, officials said.

"He was a very special person," Sheriff Tom Dart said.

Since being appointed by Dart's predecessor, Michael Sheahan, as chief of Internal Affairs, Mr. Kaufmann handled every major investigation into wrongdoing by sheriff's employees, Dart said. He recalled him as a dedicated officer who used humor to undercut the seriousness of his work.

"When you're dealing with this level of violence and wrongdoing, the only way you can survive this stuff is through humor, and he had a tremendous sense of humor," Dart said.

Mr. Kaufmann had a simple way of juggling his work and home lives, his family said.

"Laugh it off, never bring it home, leave it at work," said his brother Anthony, a Chicago police officer. "He loved life, he was a practical joker and a very dedicated family man."

The lesson was respected by many of his brothers and sisters, which include police officers and one Chicago firefighter.

An Oak Lawn native, Mr. Kaufmann and his wife, Carol, raised their five children in Evergreen. The former Brother Rice High School soccer goalie kept his enthusiasm for the game and become a youth soccer coach at St. Catherine of Alexandria parish, where he graduated as a child.

After he was diagnosed with cancer, his friends and family drew thousands to a fundraiser last month at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park to help support his family.

In addition to his wife and brother, Mr. Kaufmann is survived by his mother Constance; brothers, Michael, Peter, William and Frank; sisters Karen and Judy; children Maureen, Tim, Katie, Sean and Colleen; and grandson Gavin. He was preceded in death by his father, Frank.

A visitation is scheduled from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home in Oak Lawn, with a funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Most Holy Redeemer Church in Evergreen Park.
William Lee can be reached at wlee@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-6747.