Payson Roundup

Anyone who has participated in one of the many health fair programs in the area probably knows Patty Kaufman.

Or maybe you’re an old-timer and know her from the days in which she and her former husband Duane ran El Rancho.

You may also know her because of her many contributions as a longtime hospice employee.

You might know Kaufman from Big Brothers Big Sisters, Pop Warner or Little League, or Girl and Cub Scouts. You may have seen her ringing the bell for the Salvation Army for more than half the Christmases of her life. Perhaps you know her from her 18 years as a secretary at both Julia Randall and Payson Elementary Schools.

The point is, Patty Kaufman has been part of the Rim Country for more than 40 years and she has always been willing to lend a hand to help others.

Patty Kaufman

Now, Kaufman needs some help.

During the last five years she has been facing a series of health issues related to injuries she sustained doing gymnastics and from being bucked off horses.

She has had to have several operations and is facing more for neck and shoulder pain, a bad knee and more. So, if Rim residents haven’t seen Kaufman at as many functions or doing as much for her neighbors as they used to, that’s the reason.

To give her the help she needs, friends have established a special account for her at National Bank of Arizona and are planning a benefit for mid-November.

Kaufman and her parents, Oran and Pauline Shear, came to Payson in the early 1970s. Her parents operated the Piñon Café, where Wendy’s now stands, and her father was with the Gila County Sheriff’s Office for many years, first as a deputy and then as a sergeant.

She graduated from Payson High in 1975 and has two children, Pauline and Clay, and seven grandchildren.

Those who know Kaufman are invited to lend a hand and help out someone who has helped out so many others over the years.

Details about the benefit will be published once they are confirmed.