Jeanne Blanche Kaufer, 84, Minot and formerly of Donnybrook, Aylmer, Powers Lake, and Tioga died on Sunday, September 19, 2009, with her loving family by her side, in Manor Care Healthcare Center, after a third courageous battle with cancer.

Jeanne was born on August 12, 1925 on the family farm near Donnybrook, ND to Claude and Ruby (Bergo) Huff. She was reared on the farm and graduated from the Donnybrook school system.

As a young adult she attended telegrapher school in Minot and was hired by the Great Northern Railroad in June of 1944. She was employed as the station agent/telegrapher at various depots throughout North Dakota including Aylmer, ND where she met her future husband who was the Depot Agent at the time. Jeanne married James A. Kaufer on January 1, 1948 in Minot. They became the parents of three children while living there. They moved to Powers Lake in 1960 where she served as depot agent. The family moved to Tioga in 1966 where her husband was the agent for the Great Northern RR and she served as the agent at McGregor and Battleview. In 1968, she continued her employment with the BNRR at the Williston Depot where she was train order operator and ticketing agent. She worked at Granville in 1975 where she was station agent for two years prior to moving to Minot in 1977 where she was employed in the Burlington Northern RR central agency relay office and the materials department in Gavin Yard. She retired in August of 1985.

Jeanne was a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church and its Mary Circle and Saints Alive retiree organization. She was active in various railroad organizations, V.F.W. Auxiliaries, homemaker clubs, the Lutheran Church, and was co-founder of the Order of Railroad Telegraphers organization in Minot. Jeanne's hobbies and special interests included baking, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family and grandchildren. She enjoyed the Arizona sunshine and warmth while living in Mesa during the winter months for 13 years.

Jeanne's loving family includes her husband of 61 years James; children: Deborah (Craig) Eraas of Minot; Gail (Timothy) Joyce of Tioga, Steven (Lynette) Kaufer of Phoenix, AZ; grandchildren: Nathan, Natalie and Matthew Eraas; Jennifer (Gerard) Ramberg; Patrick, Ryan and Andrew Joyce; Jared and Jonathan Kaufer; sisters and brothers: Dayton (Amelia) Huff, Dolores (Warren) Paulson, Thomas (Bonnie) Huff, all of Minot; Betty (Ron) Gibler of Pacific Grove, CA; Robert (Gail) Huff of Donnybrook, Barbara (Robert) Lee of Richland, WA and Bonnie (Larry) Lee of Bellingham, WA; sisters-in-law: Bern Huff of Minot and Patty Huff of Carpio; sister-in-law and husband: Delores (Norris) Fagerland, of Devils Lake, and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents, brothers: Guy Huff and Ralph Huff, and grandson: Jamie Kane.

Funeral Service: Friday, September 25, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. in St. Mark's Lutheran Church - Minot.
Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens - Minot.
Visitation: Thursday from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home - Minot.
Memorials are preferred to the St. Mark's Lutheran Church Piano Fund, Building Fund, or the American Cancer Society.