Janet M. Kauffman, 89, a resident of Cockeysville, Maryland, for two years, formerly of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully and surrounded by her family at her residence at Brightview Hunt Valley on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, four days before her 90th birthday.
Janet was born in Lebanon County on Oct. 23, 1934.
Raised in Lebanon, she was a graduate of South Lebanon High School and worked as a receptionist for both the Colonial Theatre and Lustberg-Nast Clothing. She was a piano player and a member of a band called the Teen Tones, with whom she recorded a single. She continued to enjoy singing, and years later, she could always be heard singing a beautiful soprano vibrato in church. Janet was a long-time member of St. Jacob’s Kimmerlings Church, where she was an active member of the choir and held several positions in the Women’s Guild. In 1982, she helped her husband found Agricore Inc., for which she served as secretary/treasurer until his death in 2016. Janet loved doing puzzles with her grandchildren, doing word searches, and being a member of a card club for many years with a wonderful group of women.
Janet is survived by her sister and best friend, Nancy Huffman; daughters, Diane Rothstein (Jonathan), Sherri Schauer (Scott), and Julie Masiello (Philip); grandchildren, Kevin Lesher (Kait), Arielle Rothstein Allerhand (Bruce), Eliza Rothstein, Samantha Schreckengost, Lucas Masiello, Vivian Orta, and Sabrina Orta; great-grandchildren, Abigail and Caroline; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years, Leroy F. Kauffman; parents, Henry and Mildred (Rhine) Shaak; sister, Marian Shaak; brothers, Joseph, Russell, Dennis, and Henry; and grandson, Jeffrey Lesher Jr.
A celebration of Janet’s life will be held on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at St. Jacobs Kimmerlings Church, 1 St. Jacobs Dr., Lebanon. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m., followed by services at 11 a.m. and interment at Kimmerlings Cemetery.
The family would like to express gratitude to the associates at Brightview Hunt Valley and Mays Chapel Ridge and the caregivers from Tribute Home Care who provided loving support to Janet in her final year.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests support for the 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s at http://act.alz.org/goto/janetkauffman.
For more information or to send messages of condolence, please visit www.christmansfuneralhome.com.
