Kaufman

Jeanne Marie "Rie" Kaufman of Pittsburgh, formerly of Parker, died Thursday in The Heritage at Shadyside following a four-year battle with colon and liver cancer.

She was the beloved daughter of the late John J. and Margaret Morris Kaufman; sister of Kathleen M. Kaufman of Salt Lake City, Utah, Thomas J. Kaufman (Carla Barry) of Damascus, Md., Madeline K. Havrilla (David) of Monroeville, William J. Kaufman of Oil City, Margaret K. "Maggie" Craig (David) of Chicora, Raymond J. Kaufman (Amy) of Parker, Paul J. Kaufman of Parker, Edward J. Kaufman (Charlotte Fleming) of Parker and the late James J. Kaufman. Also surviving are 18 nieces and nephews and two great- nephews, Jack and Paul.

She was the niece of Sister Jeanne Ellen Morris, SC, of Greensburg and Mary Catherine Kaufman of Parker.

Rie was a longtime member and cantor of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Shadyside. She continued her cantering faithfully throughout her illness.

Rie graduated in 1970 from the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind, where she was the school's poster child during reconstruction fundraising, and for which she was an active member of the Alumni Association. She later graduated from the Goodwin Business School.

She lived her entire adult life in the Oakland and Shadyside neighborhoods of Pittsburgh.

Rie spent many years employed as a transcriptionist at the U.S. Steel headquarters, and with the downtown offices of the IRS.

She enjoyed a long association with Radio Information Services in Pittsburgh as a volunteer producer and also worked as an interviewer with DDI Video Archives.

As a young girl in Parker, Rie enjoyed swimming, reading, bike riding and folk music.

Rie enjoyed traveling to Europe and partook in many B.O.L.D. activities with her friends, including cross-country skiing, kayaking and sky-diving.

More recently, her various artistic endeavors included participating in singing quartets and many roles with community theater troupes, including The Acting Company and The Thoreau NM Production Company. A talented musical performer and composer, both instrumentally and as a vocalist, she was especially well known for her guitar playing and cantering.

<B>KAUFMAN</B> — Friends of Jeanne Marie "Rie" Kaufman who died Thursday, May 28, 2009, will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at <B>MCCABE BROS. FUNERAL HOME</B>, 6214 Walnut St., Shadyside. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Sacred Heart Church.