John Craig Kaufman

John "Craig" Kaufman, age 68, of Pokegama Lake, Pine City, Minnesota died on January 4, 2017 of a nine month cancer illness. Craig's exuberant, passionate and fun-loving nature leaves a deep loss for his family and friends.On July 21, 1948, Craig was born in Ames, Iowa to his parents, John Darwin Kaufman and Elizabeth Jane Little Kaufman. His early life started in Iowa, Nebraska and Slayton, Minnesota. His love of hunting and fishing began early at his Grandfather Kaufman's Adel, Iowa farm where Craig, his dad, uncles and cousins fished the stocked gravel pit and walked the cornfields for game birds.Craig attended junior high and high school in Aitkin, Minnesota, graduating in 1966. He excelled in high school wrestling. Following high school, he attended the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.Stillwater, Minnesota was where he began his career life in a number of occupations. He found the career he loved when he started working at State Supply Company Inc. of St. Paul, as a National Sales Representative and stayed there for more than thirty years. Craig took pride in his technical knowledge of steam plumbing equipment and his ability to find solutions for customers as well as collaborating with engineers to create solutions. During these years, he lived primarily in Ham Lake and Pine City.Craig was his true self when he was enjoying life with friends, having cocktails, fishing, hunting, boating, shooting, and collecting knives and guns. Craig fished the oceans of Hawaii, Mexico, and the Eastern United States, as well as the lakes of Minnesota. He always hoped to catch a fish bigger than he was, and his final catch in Key West during December 2016 of a 320 lb. hammerhead shark was that fish. He was also very proud of the Marlin that he displayed on his living room wall.A highlight of his outdoor life was joining the Vermilion Club – a fishing club located on Gold Island in Lake Vermilion.  His love of nature included bird watching and he maintained multiple bird feeders at his various homes.  He was devoted to studying the Bible and anyone who knew him, knew an animated, warm hearted, expansive, loving man.His parents preceded him in death. Surviving family members include: his sisters and brothers-in-law, Cindy and Steve Deutsch of Napa Valley, California, and Susan and Mark Moreau of St. Paul, Minnesota; brother and sister-in-law Chris and Mary Kaufman of Glen Ellyn, Illinois; closest of cousins - Jim Kaufman of Afton, Oklahoma; two nephews, four nieces, and several cousins. Craig will be long missed and remembered affectionately.Memorial services are Saturday, February 18 at 3:00 PM, preceded by a visitation at 2:00 PM at Swanson Funeral Chapel, 665 3rd Avenue, Pine City, Minnesota 55063.A graveside service will be held in May at Oakdale Cemetery in Adel, Iowa.Funeral arrangements are entrusted to: Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City, Swanson Chapel.  www.funeralandcremationservice.com