Robert Louis Kauffman – A Man Who Loved Helping People

March 23, 1943 – April 14, 2024

Robert Louis Kauffman, 81 years old, of Gurnee, IL, affectionately known as Bob, departed from his life here on earth after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. Bob was a caring family man—devoted husband to Kit (Cathleen Mika), loving father to Katherine Specht (Brian), Tim (Ashley), and the late Jennifer; adoring grandfather of Jackson, Emily, Alison, Riley, and Joey; and loyal brother, uncle, and cousin to many Kauffman relatives. Bob was born in Bremen, Indiana to Donald Kauffman and Madeline (Darscheid), the third of six children including brothers Dick (Rita), Keith (Marcy), Kathy Snyder (David), Carol Balentine and Susan O’Connor (Knute).

Bob was raised with strong Midwest farming roots that taught him the meaning and value of hard work and service to others from a young age which became the foundation of his life’s work.  His formative education began at Our Lady of the Lake Seminary in Syracuse, Indiana, where he explored his strong faith, but soon realized that the priesthood was not his calling.  He continued his higher education at St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana, where he received a Bachelor of Sociology, and went on to receive his Master of Social Work at the University of Illinois in Chicago. From there his professional journey began, working as a counselor at a pharmaceutical company where his passion for helping people to deal with various life problems really began.

As his career evolved, Bob continued to expand his knowledge of how to help people. His personal life experiences also shaped him in profound ways, most notably the birth of his first child Jennifer who subsequently died at an early age. After recovering from this devastating loss, Bob was able to help others going through similar life-altering experiences with compassion and love.

Bob’s knowledge of the brain and human nature continued to open doors to new opportunities in his life.  As a psychotherapist Bob counseled thousands of individuals over the course of his long career, helping people to improve their lives by offering strategies for happiness and self-fulfillment.

Bob was also a successful businessman and launched several entrepreneurial endeavors, most recently  the company Critical Thinking for Success in 2009 which further expanded his impact in helping others.  Through the use of neurofeedback, biofeedback, and cognitive therapy techniques, Bob was able to address a range of conditions from anxiety, depression, PTSD, brain injuries, and professional coaching for enhanced job performance.  Bob worked with a wide range of individuals including athletes, professional musicians, corporate CEO’s, and the U.S. Marines.  His techniques were designed to address specific issues to improve lives. Bob also published his first book, “The Incredible Journey of Loving Ourselves” in 2022, providing a personal guide for finding our best selves.  Bob firmly believed that self-improvement and learning was ongoing, and one was never too old to change the direction of their life with guidance, support, and self-love.

 Bob was actively engaged with a broad network of family and friends, and especially enjoyed spending time with his grandkids. He was an avid fisherman and regularly took a group of friends up to his favorite Wine Lake fishing spot in Ontario Canada.  He enjoyed movies, basketball, telling a good story or joke, and playing competitive games of poker and euchre with family and friends. He was also a humanitarian, serving on the advisory board of A Safe Haven Foundation in Chicago, a non-profit organization that strives to restore hope and opportunity to individuals in crisis by providing treatment, housing, support services, and career opportunities.

While Bob’s physical presence will no longer be with us, his lasting legacy of self-love and self-improvement will continue to bring comfort and hopefully inspire everyone who knew Bob to carry on his mission of making a difference in people’s lives.

On Monday May 20, 2024, at 1:00 pm., a funeral mass will be held at Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State Street, Chicago, IL (validated parking entrance at 14 W. Superior).

A Celebration of Life will follow at Plumber’s Hall, 1340 W. Washington Boulevard, Chicago, IL from 3:00 – 6:00 pm. Limited on-site parking is free (Washington gate entrance). Additional on-site parking is provided at a cost of $4.00 per hour, (1371 W. Randolph gate entrance).

Please feel free to attend both or either events of the memorial day.

It is Bob’s request, and of the family, that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to A Safe Haven Foundation: www.asafehaven.org.