Nelson Edward Kauffman was born on October 5, 1904, in Garden City, Missouri, to David Gideon Kauffman and Mary E. King. When he was 10 years old, Kauffman's family moved to Minot, North Dakota and began operating a dairy farm there. After gaining an interest in mission work, Kauffman pursued higher education by enrolling at Hesston College. At Hesston, he met Christmas Carol Kauffman, and the two were married on June 10, 1929. After 22 years of mission work in Hannibal, Missouri, Nelson and Christmas Carol moved to Christmas Carol's home, Elkhart, Indiana, and attended Prairie Street Mennonite Church. While in Elkhart, Christmas Carol died of Hepatitis in 1969. In 1970, Nelson married Lois Garber Keener, and several years later the two moved to Largo, Florida, where Nelson died of a heart attack on June 18, 1981.
