Willie Carolyn Kaufman

Willie Carolyn Weatherby Kaufman was born September 20, 1938, to Estella Hayes and Jon Robert Weatherby. To this union, she was the eldest daughter and second oldest child. Having two official birth certificates, one for the 20th and one for the 26th of September, Carolyn vivaciously celebrated the entire week. Carolyn is preceded in death by her brothers, Johnathan and Larry, and her sister, Sarah.

Carolyn began school at age five in a one room schoolhouse. As she eagerly and excitedly listened to the lessons to all of the students, her passion for learning was born and she eventually skipped two grades. Baptized in the church at age six, Carolyn found and began fulfilling her purpose and the call on her life through the piano. She became an employee of Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in Berrytown, KY by age twelve and followed her passion, playing the organ in the church, throughout life.Carolyn graduated with honors from Lincoln Institute in Shelbyville, KY, in the 50s and continued to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where she proudly pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and earned a double Bachelors in Music Education and Social Studies.

Carolyn graduated from the University of Louisville having received her Masters in Music and 30 hours above Rank One. She began her teaching career in Atlantic City, New Jersey where she taught for one year. Not long after, she returned to Louisville, married Rev. Dr. Leonardo D. Kaufman, and they had one child, Karen Renata.

Carolyn taught faithfully in the Louisville City School System and Jefferson County School System for 38 years. As a music, social studies, and geography teacher, as well as a band director, she worked at her beloved Thomas Jefferson, Shawnee, Fern Creek, and the Historic Central High schools and several middle schools. She also taught piano and music theory at The Beaugard College of Music and Art. Music, playing, performing, and teaching, was her passion. She loved the rehearsals and getting her choirs ready for signature concerts.

Scholarly achievement was understood not only by Carolyn's students but by her family too. Carolyn’s influence in music and education was so strong that her daughter and granddaughters all attended and graduated in different disciplines from the Youth Performing Arts School. Three of the four were valedictorians, just as she was.

Affectionately called "Beethoven," Carolyn played the organ for First Baptist Jeffersontown under the pastorate of Dr. Thurmond Coleman. Soon after, she began as Minister of Music and served for 40 years at Green Street Baptist Church where Rev. JV Bottoms Sr. was Pastor. Having played for many different churches around the city, when a musician was needed, Carolyn's name was synonymous with soul-stirring gospel music, foot-stomping Negro spirituals, classic hymns, and majestic anthems. She was dogmatic and dedicated to making certain that music played in the church was God-glorifying and biblically based.

After retiring from Green Street, she joined Canaan Christian Church under Dr. Walter Malone, Jr. and served playing the organ there briefly.

Carolyn is survived by her sister, Connie Reeves; her daughter, Karen Renata; her granddaughters, Sydney, Shelby, and Amelia; nieces, Kenyatta, Cozette, and Jasmine; and nephews, Jonathan and Chaddi.

Though small in stature, she was always tall in spirit, forthright in character, and loving in her deportment. The scripture that guided her life from Matthew 8:5 was, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God," and she served all with a pure heart and pure intentions. Ultimately, Carolyn loved the Lord with all her heart and served Him with all she had. We firmly believe that she is now playing for a heavenly choir and rocking back and forth on a gilded organ.