Dr. Donald B. Kaufman, M.D.

Donald Barry Kaufman, M.D. was born in Los Angeles August 5^th, 1937, to Samuel (Sandy) Kaufman and Sarah (Shirley) Bornstein Kaufman.  His childhood experiences there included living in a dominantly Jewish area, followed by experiences in a barrio area where he learned to speak Spanish fluently, and finally in Culver City where there were almost no Jewish families.

After graduating with honors from UCLA in 1959 with a degree in zoology, he hitchhiked through Europe for the summer, followed by Medical School at UCSF.  That is where he met his beloved wife of 61 years, Elizabeth (Liz) Hutchinson Kaufman.  They married after the internship year, in 1964.  He had completed one year of Pediatric Residency when he left to serve in the Air Force for 2 years in Marin County, California as a pediatrician. This was followed by a final year of residency at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, then a post-doc at UCLA in nephrology.  At that point he was recruited to join the new College of Human Medicine at MSU faculty in 1971.  The family by then had grown to include his son Matthew, and his daughter Tamara.

Don spent the next 30 years at MSU as a Professor of Pediatrics.  He ran an active lab and made several significant contributions to the then newly evolving area of immunology.  He was also a caring clinician, taking care of children with kidney disease and rheumatological disorders.  He performed the first bone marrow transplant in the State of Michigan.  He enjoyed two sabbaticals, one for a year in Paris at the Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades (similar to our NIH), and one in Toronto at Children’s Hospital.

After retirement in 2000, he and Liz enjoyed many trips to various countries around the world, as well as welcoming grandchildren Abraham, Niobe, Batya and Gideon to the family.

An avid skier, he skied the Sierras, Rockies, and French Alps and taught his children to ski.  In later years he became an excellent pickleball player and enthusiast.  He was also a talented woodworker, having made many pieces of furniture for his home and for others.

He was an active member of Congregation Kehillat Israel from almost the time of its founding. Among his several contributions there was the construction of the ark that houses the Torahs. He also served as the mohel for the Greater Lansing Jewish community and beyond for many years.

Donald is survived by his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Kaufman, his son Rabbi Dr. Matthew Kaufman (Stephanie), his daughter, Tamara Tsoutsouris (Wolfgang), his sister, Lois Neiter, and his grandchildren Abraham and Batya Urowitz Kaufman and Niobe and Gideon Tsoutsouris.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel, 325 W. Washtenaw St., Lansing, MI 48933.  Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Lansing.

Donations in his memory may be made to Congregation Kehillat Israel.