Martha Jenkins Kaufmann

Martha Jenkins Matthews Kaufmann (Fuller), widow of the late Robert Paul "Robi" Kaufmann and the late Jefferson C. "Jeff" Fuller, Jr., formerly of Columbia, SC, died on Friday, May 28, 2010 at her son's home in Mount Pleasant after suffering for many years with dementia. The relatives and friends of Martha Kaufmann (Fuller) are invited to attend her Memorial Service on Tuesday, June 1, 2010 in Spring Valley Presbyterian Church, 125 Sparkleberry Lane, Columbia, SC at 10:30 a.m.  A second celebration of Martha's life will be held on Wednesday, June 2, 2010 in J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Mount Pleasant Chapel at 1:00 p.m.  Arrangements by J.HENRY STUHR, MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL.

Martha was born June 17, 1930 in Newberry, South Carolina and grew up in Columbia, South Carolina. She was the youngest child of the late Lily Richardson Matthews and Alfred Crotwell Matthews, Sr.  She was graduated from University High School and the University of South Carolina.  After their marriage on March 1, 1954, Martha and Robi lived in Switzerland (where in mere months, Martha learned to speak perfect Swiss-German like a native speaker) and in Italy, then beginning in the 1960s, in many locales in the eastern United States while Robi pursued his career.  In 1971 the family returned to Columbia, SC. Martha and Robi shared 49 wonderful years of marriage until his death in April 2003. Later in 2003, Martha moved to The Waterford, a retirement community.  It was that that she met and, in June 2005, married Jeff Fuller, Jr., with who she shared several happy years until his death in March 2009.  In September 2009, Martha moved to Mt. Pleasant where she lived with Walter and Parker, and their sons, until her death.

Martha was a life-long Christian and was a founding member of, and served as a deacon of, Spring Valley Presbyterian Church.  She was a life-long lover of learning and the arts.  She enjoyed painting, and won awards with her watercolor and mixed-media works of art.  Martha loved to play with babies, cook, entertain, read, knit, quilt -and talk!  She was a loving and devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend who loved nothing more than making others happy.  Martha was a model mother and grandmother who never wavered in her devotion to her Lord and to making a wonderful life for her family. She had boundless grace, humor, wit, love, compassion, enthusiasm, and determination.

Surviving their beloved matriarch are her loving children, and their families: Christoph Robert Kaufmann and his wife, Jenny, of Johnson City, Tennessee, and their children, Jace and Michael; Martha Anne "Marty" Kaufmann Litzinger and her husband, Nick, of St. Louis, Missouri, and their children, Lee Anne, Lukas, Julia and Clara; Paul Jacques Kaufmann, and his partner, Eric Bultman, of Columbia, SC, and Walter Richardson Kaufmann, and his wife, Parker, of Mt. Pleasant, SC and their sons, Cade and Kirk.  Also surviving Martha are her sister, Lily Richardson Matthews Bonturi, and Lily's husband Jack J. Bonturi; her sister-in-law Florence M. Matthews, her sister-in-law Mitzi Matthews, her brother-in-law Ralph W. Kaufmann, and sixteen nieces and nephews, most of whom called her "Honey".  She was preceded in death by her brothers, Alfred Crotwell Matthews, Jr., Walter Richardson Matthews, William Cannon Matthews, and Budd Cade Matthews; and by her sister, Clara Sue Matthews Kaufmann.

                                  

The family requests memorials be made to either Spring Valley Presbyterian Church, 125 Sparkleberry Lane, Columbia, SC 29229 or The Hospice of Charleston Foundation, 676 Wando Park Blvd, Mt. Pleasant, SC  29464.