Remembering John Blaufuss
Known for his honesty, sense of humor, integrity and kind spirit, John Blaufuss touched many lives. His love for his family and others will be remembered forever. A friend to all who met him, John’s life and legacy will not be forgotten. The Office of Public Affairs and Marketing asked John’s friends and co-workers to share their memories.
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I have worked at ESU for almost 18 years and during that time I had the opportunity to work with John in a variety of ways on library purchases. I will admit that sometimes his sticking to the rules frustrated me, but I know it helped the university. The first memory that came to mind for me happened just this year. As president of the faculty I had some questions from other faculty members about travel and reimbursement monies. I went to John seeking answers so that I could respond to them intelligently. We sat down and had a conversation about travel and state rules for reimbursements. During our talk we discussed travel in general and came around to the topic of getting free airline tickets when you voluntarily are bumped from a flight. He said that he had received some tickets for a flight while traveling for ESU. Instead of just keeping them and using them, he called someone in Topeka and asked what he should do with them. They had never had anyone call and ask about complimentary tickets like that before. I think that it is a demonstration of his honesty and integrity.
Terri Summey, Head of Distance and Access Services
John Blaufuss hired me to work in the Accounts Payable of ESU office 18 years ago. He gave me the opportunity to learn and development my skills while working for him and his staff. We often had fun with Homecoming Office decorating and of course always had good food to share on birthdays and holidays. Not an occasion went by involved snacks and good food that John wasn't present getting a taste of the goodies.
I admired him for his commitment to ESU but even more than that I admired his commitment to his family and his community. I have remained on the ESU campus over these years but have moved on to worked in other departments where I was fortunate enough to have been able to keep in touch and work with him.
Beverly Long, Early Childhood
My first interaction with John occurred when I was in 8th grade. My mother was the principal at the school his daughter Lisa attended. At that time I knew who John was, but had not had much face-to-face time with John. Then in my undergrad Finance class we were assigned a project to meet with an individual who dealt with finance in a business setting. I chose John to interview and discover the inner workings of finance at ESU.
Upon setting up a time and day to interview, I started to quiver at the fear of sitting down to discuss with John the inner-workings of the finance system at ESU. I feared I would appear dumb or ask the wrong question, but that quickly subsided as I entered John's office and the first thing he did was to tell me a funny story about something that had happened with his daughter's vehicle and how she had borrowed his truck for the week. I do not remember the exact details, but I recall the feeling I had of how much of a family man John truly was, and that John was a genuinely outstanding person. Up until that meeting which started in fear, John had always been Mr. Blaufuss to me, and his openness and kind heart made me see him as John.
Since that encounter, I have had the opportunity to work with John or be graced by his infectious sense of humor at least weekly. I was truly saddened to here the news, and John truly made those around him, friend or stranger, feel much more at ease. John will be greatly missed each and every day. Thank you Mr. Blaufuss for the opportunity to know you.
Jeremy Luby, University Webmaster
I am approaching my 18th year of service here at ESU and have been closely involved with John for all of those years. The thing that stands out most to me was his concern for his employees. If you had some type of a problem whether it is work related or personal he was always very concerned and offered any assistance he could. He was very family oriented and always allowed us to take time from work to attend our children’s' activities. I will always be very grateful to him for that.
The funniest thing I can remember about John was him saying that he was the "Token Male" in the Business Affairs area. All of his employees were women and he was the lone male. Some said that he should feel blessed to be the only male among all those females. He would just laugh and say that we all just let him think that he was in charge but most of the time he would tell us something and we would go right on and do just whatever we wanted. It was great fun to tease him about but we really all have great respect for the way that John ran his business.
Sue Woods, Accountant I
I have known of John Blaufuss since arriving at ESU in 1999, but I haven't worked directly with him until this fall. I'm coordinating the student volunteer trip to Gulfport, Mississippi, during winter break, and have been working with John and his staff all semester. Several things struck me about John as I communicated with him in the process of figuring out how to get to Gulfport and how to pay for everything. He was very supportive of the trip, and his main response to my questions about how all the financial stuff would work was to figure out ways to make things work. Where some people told me they didn't think certain things could happen because of this or that barrier, John looked for ways to get the barriers out of the path. He truly seemed to want our trip to succeed and to help us on our way.
Ellen R. Hansen, Associate Professor, Geography
My interaction with John started when I became Chair of Sociology and Anthropology. John kept me out of trouble many of times with the department and student organizations (fund raising) issues. But my finest memory of John is when we would arrive on Mechanic Street to see who would take the first parking spot on the east side of the street, closest to campus. Then I would have to walk across 12th and talk to the man who “9” times out of “10” would beat me to the spot. I enjoy knowing John on earth and I thank him and his wife for the opportunity to know and teach their baby girl.
To the family, John was and is "A Tower of Strength," not only for the university but for those who came into his presence. I leave you with the encouragement Isaiah gave the Israelites in their time of need, and that is to turn to God: "Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isa 40:27-31.
Believe in our hearts that John will fly high on wings like eagles and run and not grow weary!!
Dr. Nathaniel Eugene Terrell, Chair
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
John and I met in his office about a year ago to discuss the Associated Student Government travel. He shared a lot of his own on the job experiences, as well as some funny and strange situations related to trips planned for state employees. He emphasized with my concerns and was very interested in assisting me with my position. I appreciated that empathy and interest. I am an Administrative Assistant and John was very approachable as an Executive Controller. He made the experience a fair and pleasant one. Throughout this last year I have called John on various situations and he has given me that same kind of service. We discussed having several more meetings throughout the next few years as processes changed, and we both laughed because we knew that policies always change at the state level. I will miss being able to contact John when I need his professional experience and advice.
Anna Dragoo, Senior Administrative Assistant
Center for Student Involvement
John was a wonderful co-worker for many years. We enjoyed many holiday office parties at John and Dorothy's home. In 1985-86, Dorothy was expecting with Angela and I was expecting as well. John and I actually had to share a pretty small office due to some remodeling and as Dorothy's and my due dates approached, he commented that he just had no escape ... a pregnant woman at home and a pregnant woman at work. We all had a great laugh at that. His passing leaves a huge hole in our lives but we have some great memories to enjoy many times over.
Laura Storrer
Human Resources
It was my good fortune to have John as my friend for more than 20 years. At work, as busy as he was, he always found time to talk and always made me feel like he was genuinely happy to see me. He was always professional - one of the most honest men I have ever known. John was a joy to work with and always fun to see at social gatherings and I will miss him terribly.
Jodi Ek, Academic Affairs
John and I met three years ago; I was a nervous wreck when I walked in to his office.
He was the man I was going to have to explain all of our past due invoices to.
Being a contractor to the University, John was the man to see about invoices.
It is never easy asking for money, but with John it was enjoyable.
John does not like outstanding invoices either. In fact I enjoyed my experience with him so much that I would stop by his office just to see if there were any invoices to talk about. Every time I would see John either in a hallway, the c-store, or at an event, John would always come over shake my hand and ask me about my health.
He always treated me as though I was a part of this University. Though it was a short three years, I will not forget the man I was so nervous about meeting, the man I ended up looking forward to doing business with.
Chef Harold Jensen, General Manager
Sodexho Campus Services
I met John in 1980 when I began work in the Accounts Payable section of
ESU's Business Office. I remember him as a wonderful family man, one
who also cared about his office staff and their families. He was
helpful to me during my struggle to learn how to take over in Accounts
Payable following the death of Norine Laughlin, and during the classes I
took to fulfill the requirements of that position. He was my friend and
the friend of all connected with ESU.
I remember one March, when our office was celebrating John's birthday
and we were going out to lunch. My husband Don surprised him by driving
up to Plumb Hall in our 1926 Model T Ford (open touring car) and driving
John and Dorothy, in the Model T, to the restaurant. John was always a
good sport and always more willing to honor someone else than to be the
recipient.
Opal Glasgow, Retired Administrative Officer of Accounts Payable at ESU
I have no specific story but rather an assembly of images I have of John. John's spiritual faith always impressed me. His faith was a major piece of his personal life. John's pride and love of his family was always evident. Not only his immediate family but also his extended family. John's support and involvement with ESU was the cornerstone of his professional life. No institution could wish for more than what was given to us from John. His integrity, honesty and humor was respected and appreciated by all who worked with John.
Mark Runge, Director of Facilities
John Blaufuss – exceptionally dedicated employee, tireless worker, highly ethical individual and excellent boss. Those are just a few words that describe John. But above all, he was our friend.
John’s staff truly loved him. He had a wonderful sense of humor and had lots of stories to tell. He expected the best of his staff and helped each person achieve the best. He always listened to others= ideas and opinions and then would “complain” that his own staff overruled his decisions. He also “complained” about being the “token male” but we knew he really loved it! It was so much fun to tease him and he loved to tease us.
John put the students first and expected his staff to do the same. He had ESU 'so best interests at heart. He was dedicated to ESU and dedicated to making sure that all students, faculty and staff received excellent service. He had such a wealth of knowledge about ESU and could easily explain why we do things a certain way.
He was so proud of his children and grandchildren. Oh! The stories we heard about each one! John clearly loved his family, his extended family and he was so in love with Dorothy. Everyday, John showed us his love of God, his love of family and his love of other people. John provided the best example of the way to live one’s life. John, we will truly miss you.
Mary M. Mingenback, Assistant Controller
When I think of John Blaufuss, I think of heart. I have known and worked with John 21 years, and I became aware of his heart condition many years ago. When I asked him to join me in the Heart Walk to benefit the American Heart Association last March, John responded that he would be glad to participate because he had been the recipient of the knowledge and technology benefits of heart research.
The day of the walk, he didn’t just walk—he jogged, and jogged, and jogged. Long after most of the walkers and runners had quit, John continued jogging—duplicating his daily runs to stay in condition and to strengthen the heart that had troubled him most of his adult life.
The heart he displayed that day during the heart walk was so typical of John. He had a huge heart for helping others, as evidenced by the work he did for campus and community agencies. He always had time to help others. His heart was especially open to talking about ESU and ways to make it even better. He was a warm, caring person who exemplified in many ways the character of ESU—people centered, honest, principled, caring. John was a man with a BIG heart, and I have trouble imagining ESU without him!
Robert Grover, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
and Dean of Graduate Studies
I’d like to join the many “voices” remembering John Blaufuss as a kind and caring university and community leader. I have interacted with John about numerous student challenges related to students’ needs to balance academic and financial responsibilities. John always responded with respect for students and high commitment to student success even when it meant additional efforts for him. I interacted with John as members of the Board of Directors and Foundation of the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas. John served with high concern for the well-being of others. He worked to create a worthwhile agency mission, stable finances, functional facilities, and proactive programs and services. In all situations, John’s abilities to combine professionalism and person-centered services were rare and wonderful. I will always remember John’s professionalism, integrity, and self-discipline as a model to be replicated. John will certainly be missed at Emporia State University and beyond. John's hard work improved life for so many - - - most of whom will never know the positive impact that John’s leadership had on their lives.
Mirah Dow, Assistant Professor, School of Library and Information Management
Emporia State University
John was a person of great humor and wit. My list of memorable stories is quite long, having worked directly with John these last eight years at ESU and having known him for about 20. However, so many stories are only funny if you were there. But one in my mind is not only funny but provides a measure of John’s fine character. When we were dealing with a particularly short deadline for a work product and balancing the deadline with other events, John turned and said, “You know if you do the right thing for your church, your family, and your employer, there really isn’t any time left to get into trouble.”
John certainly did the right thing for his church, family, and employer. Identifying a winner has been difficult this past week, given the many lives impacted by his passing. So it seems, the winners are those of us who had the privilege of knowing John during the years the Lord shared him with us.
Ray Hauke, Vice President, Fiscal Affairs
I met John well over two decades ago. Over that time we visited often; sometimes in the hallways and other times in his office. We worked together on several things and I was impressed with his attitude, effort, and stamina. I recall a hot August day when we helped countless students move into the Morse Hall complex. We worked well together; it was almost as though we could read each other’s minds as the day progressed. Although John had some serious health challenges that would have stopped most individuals, it hardly slowed him as we kept working long after our scheduled time.
Our conversations spanned wide range of topics; however, the ones in which we took the most delight were about his children. Most of them were in one or more of my economics classes; they were all bright and extraordinarily talented in different ways. I knew Janell the best since one of her majors was economics; however, though those conversations with their dad, I feel like I knew each one of them better as the years passed. John was more than a proud father; his understanding, insight, and love permeated those conversation. He had a special way of giving me a glimpse of into their lives. I will miss my friend and those conversations the most.
Rob Catlett, Assistant Professor, Mathematics, Computer Science and Economics
I worked with John from December 1989 through August 1996. During those 7 years, I was the University's Internal Auditor and Assistant Controller. John's love for his family, fellow co-workers and ESU was evident every day. Without John's support, my work at ESU would have been very difficult. During the past 10 years, I have continued to keep up with the Blaufuss news through John, John's nephew, Mike Dunn, and my ESU friends. I stopped in for a surprise visit on the day John's co-workers celebrated his 60th birthday. It was great to see John in his "second home" and catch up on his family news.
As everyone knows, John was very frugal with University funds. I have several travel stories I could share, but I'll never forget the time when John and I were visiting during breakfast at one of the CACUBO conferences. He shared that he really enjoyed the complimentary soft drinks, water, and snacks that the hotel had provided in the rooms. When I told John that the items would be charged to his room bill and he figured out that the cost of what he had consumed was over $50, he found a convenience store and restocked everything he could prior to room service cleaning his room that day!
John was a great man who will truly be missed by everyone. I feel blessed that our paths crossed during this life.
Doreen Brady
I met John when I started working in Plumb Hall in Human Resources (known then as Personnel, Payroll and Employee Relations) in the late 1970s. Whenever he came into our office he was always in a cheerful mood, which resonated through our entire staff. We all enjoyed hearing about the upcoming birth of your children and updates as they grew older. He definitely is the role model all fathers should strive to become!
John and I also struggled through our MBA classes together in the late 1980s and proudly graduated on the same day in 1990. I remember some of our conversations about our favorite and not-so-favorite classes and instructors. John also gave me much needed encouragement when I needed it to get through all those tough assignments.
Judy Anderson Woellhof
Manhattan, KS
I met John for the first time as an undergraduate student at ESU but we became friends when his daughter Janelle came to ESU. I had Janelle in Calculus and he was concerned that coming from a smaller high school she would have a difficult time adapting to Calculus at ESU. She was an outstanding student, a hard worker and she was successful with Calculus. We continued to work on committees together and I enjoyed talking with him about his family. He was so proud of his children and the people they had become. Janelle was a bond that we shared, someone we both loved. I was honored to know John Blaufuss and call him my friend.
Connie Schrock, Professor
I was deeply saddened and shocked to learn about the tragic death of John Blaufuss. The loss is devastating to his family, friends, the University and all who knew and worked with him. I was acquainted with Mr. Blaufuss for years, of course. I feel that I have lost someone who was important in my life professionally. I will make every effort to attend his memorial. My heartfelt sympathy to you and all who knew and worked closely with him.
Elaine Edwards
Last Updated July 2, 2007>