| This is a tribute page to Bernard (Bernie) Kaufman who passed away on October 1, 2005 at 5:05am at the age of 83. Rest in Peace, Bernie |
| Much of what I am writing here is what I remember from conversations with Bernie over the years. This type of information is subject to errors from my memory or comprehension of what Bernie had said. If there is anything stated here that is known to be in error, please let me know so I can correct it. |
| Bernie History, before I came to know him; Bernie told me that his family was from Germany. He said that while he was raised Catholic and never heard of any other religous affiliation, that it could be possible that his family was a Jewish family that converted to Catholisism during the post World War One persecution of Jews in Germany. Bernie said that he had tried to find family information at the Church in Germany that his family was affiliated with but the church records had been destroyed by the Nazi's during World War Two. Ironically, Bernie was in Germany fighting the Nazi regime while in the Army during World War Two. Bernie did not talk much about his war time activities stating that it was mostly either waiting for something to happen or running to or from something that was happening. Bernie said the waiting was boring and the running was too hectic and chaotic to remember much. During one of the active times of the war, Bernie was shot and I believe was awarded the purple heart for his injury. According to Bernie, his unit was trapped between German forces that fired at them from opposing directions. The Germans were using wooden bullets that would not travel past the Americans and hit the Germans on the other side of them. It was one of these wood bullets that hit Bernie in the leg. Somewhere along the line, Bernie married Carmella. Bernie and Carm had one son, Tommy. Evidently, Bernie started his career in the HVAC business by delivering ice. He wound up involved with a sheet metal company where he was introduced to the local union. Bernies contacts with the local union prompted his opening a union sheet metal company which he kept till he wanted to get into the selling of equipment. It is my understanding that Bernie took advantage of both union and merit shop work in his early years of business. Bernie has helped many local Maryland HVAC business's during the years, including mine in later years. Bernie often spoke of owners of now successful business's from when these companies were just starting out. Bernie was as much an ally as he was a competitor to many HVAC companies. It is through Bernies association with one particular company that I was introduced to him. |
| In the Fall of 1972, Bernie was evidentely talking to some of his acquanences at Astro Sheet Metal when they decided to play a cruel trick on him. Supposedly, these "friends" of Bernies told him that if he was looking for a good sheet metal worker, that the young guy getting on the motorcycle in the parking lot was really good but had just been laid off for lack of work. Bernie quickly went to talk to that person about a job. Moments prior to the above discussion, I had just been fired from Astro for having been a bit mouthy to the supervisor over how I should be doing my job. I was just getting on my motorcycle to leave when a slightly overweight, our of shape man with a high voice yelled out to me. This man asked me if I needed a job, which I did, and offered me one there on the spot. This was my first encounter with Bernie Kaufman. Months later when Bernies "friends" from Astro were asking about how that "new guy" worked out, Bernie replied that I was one of the best workers he had ever had. What was meant to be a mean joke on Bernie turned into the beginning of a lifelong friendship between Bernie and myself. You see, Bernie gave me a job to do and told me to go out and do it. Bernie did not try to micromanage me and only stepped in when I needed his input.This was just how Bernie was with people. Bernie trusted people to do the right things and people responded accordingly to him. I had not worked for Bernie long when I was involved in a fairly serious car accident. This accident created some physical conditions that have persisted over the years but it also gave me the oportunity to buy a small sheet metal shop. Most employers would have been annoyed over an employee going into business for his self, but not Bernie. Bernie not only gave me advice on running the business but passed along overflow work to me during the beginning years of my first company. Bernie would be there for me off an on over the next few years until we drifted apart for a couple of years. Bernie had started a new venture with a new partner that did not care much for me and I was getting busier starting into the service end of our trade. |
| During the years that Bernie and I drifted apart, life had gone on for both of us. Bernie had made some mistakes in his marriage and worse, Bernie lost his only son to a very tragic event. The next time Bernie and I caught up with each other, he was retiring from the business and was working as a teacher of sheet metal shop in Jessup Correctional Center. I always enjoy telling people that Bernie is the only teacher I know who never an absent of late student...the guards made sure of that. With Bernie retiring, we had more time to get re-acquanted. We found that we had missed our friendship and decided to keep closer touch. Even though Bernie was retiring from his business, his business would not let him go. While working at Jessup, Bernie made even more friends with whom he would help out with their air conditioning and heating problems. Bernie started turning much of this work over to me on the condition that he be involved. These jobs created some of the best times for Bernie and I. We were doing what we both loved to do while sharing our time with each other. Life was good during these times. It was also during this time that Bernie got to know my son Eric. Bernie and Eric hit if off right from the start and stayed friends over the 25 years of Eric's life. Age was no barrier for Bernie's developing friendships. |
| Bernie finally did really retire...sort of. I suppose you could say that Bernie more just stopped making money from working, because he still helped people out with their air conditioning and heating systems right to the end. |