BY JOSEPH SLACIAN
J
oby Kaufman was by her husband Gene’s side when he broached the idea with his father of building Etna Acres Golf Course. She was by his side as the original course took shape and opened in July 1960. She was by his side when it expanded in 1967 and again in 1991. Sadly, Joby passed away on April 16, 2020, at her Andrews home. She was 82. Joby touched the lives of many people – golfers and non-golfers, alike. The impact she had on people could be seen through the fitting tributes to her on the McDonald Funeral Home webpage. “What an absolutely delightful woman she was to be around,” Nancy Winter wrote. “Always full of joy and laughter.” Julie Wall wrote, “I will always remember meeting Joby when I started driving her mail route. It was like I became a part of their family, which I loved. Always so nice, friendly and loving. Always made you feel like you belonged to something bigger.” Tami Holley recalled that she only met Joby once while her grandson was taking golf lessons at Etna Acres. “We talked a large portion of the time he was practicing,” Holley wrote. “She told me how Etna Acres was built. She was really one of a kind.” Kent and Alice Williams called Joby “a sweet lady as well as a gracious host at Etna Acres,” while Jill Denman wrote, “she always treated our family warmly and made us feel welcomed and comfortable even though we aren’t the best golfers.” Walt Harrell wrote, “I was always treated like a member of the family when I visited Etna Acres, especially
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Remembering Joby
Joby Kaufman was well known for the cheeseburgers she served at the Etna Acres clubhouse. Joby passed away on April 16, 2020. when I lived out of state. Joby was always kind and took time to talk to all who entered the door.” Robert Deal said “the clubhouse wasn’t just the place where we went to sign-in for a round. It was more like going to Gene and Joby’s home. She always made me feel welcome. She made this world a better place.” “Ms. Joby was a sweetheart and I consider a true friend,” Ben Corn wrote. “Always had a great remark for me and took time to talk to me. As I walk thru this life it was a great honor that I knew her.” One of Joby’s favorite things to do was to sit outside at the golf course and watch the birds. “I will always remember our conversations about watching the birds there,” Debbie Reahard wrote. “We would even go peek inside the bird houses to see the eggs or babies sometimes. Joby was always so welcoming to the golf course. She was a spunky lady and loved by so many.”
Joby could often be found in the Etna Acres clubhouse, much of the times cooking one of her famous cheeseburgers on the flat-top grill, something many remembered in their tributes. “She made the best cheeseburgers around,” Eric Pike said. “I was just talking about her famous cheeseburgers yesterday,” Teresa Mills said. “She was a one of a kind, beautiful and caring and freespirited lady and her smile, laughter and sense of humor will be missed terribly.” Perhaps the type of person Joby was is best summed up by Dan Wingert. “I always felt like Joby was a second mom due to the extensive amount of time my brother and I spent there and her loving concern to make sure we were okay to golf,” he wrote. “She was a very special person.”
WABASH BUSINESS JOURNAL / SUMMER 2020
