As Bob Kaufman lay in a hospital bed recovering from a stroke, his friends were brainstorming how to honor the man who dedicated most of his life to his community.

Knowing his health was fragile, the legionnaires at Commodore Barry Post 256 rushed to get Berwyn City Council approval in June to name a street after him. They hoped he would be there to see the dedication.

On Saturday, Aug. 22, a week after laying Kaufman to rest, about 100 of his  friends and family gathered again outside the post at 619 W. Roosevelt Road to watch the unveiling of Bob “Pappy” Kaufman Drive.

“We were trying to get it done before his demise,” Post Commander Ben Pennacchio said. “We didn’t quite make it.”

Kaufman, a Korean War veteran and 40-year Berwyn resident, had held nearly every title within the post, including business manager for the last 25 years. He volunteered his time to coordinate events and services for disabled veterans and to the Hines VA Hospital.

Although he recently moved to Stickney, Kaufman still made daily treks to the post. His namesake is a stretch of road that runs an eighth of a block and alongside the post.

“He spent almost a quarter of a century on this street and on this block,” Commander Ben Pennacchio said. “We wanted to show Bob how much we appreciate him for all his years of service.”

Nora Laureto, 8th Ward Alderman, said when Pennacchio approached her about dedicating the street, she worked to get the proposal through City Council as quickly as possible.

“We approved it right away,” Laureto said. “But we had to wait for the sign to be fabricated, and that took longer than getting it approved.”

The council unanimously approved the renaming June 23. On Aug. 9, a year after suffering a devastating stroke while on a fishing trip in Wisconsin with his brother, Kaufman died of heart failure. He was 78. 

Kaufman is survived by his wife of 46 years, JoAnn; daughters, Kimberly Perillo, of Orland Park, Rhonda Richardson, of Wisconsin, and Pamela Kaufman, of Woodridge; six grandchildren; three great grandchildren; and his brother, Ed Kaufman, of Bloomingdale. He was preceded in death by his brother, Richard J. Kaufman, and his grandson, John Kaprak.

Many family members attended Saturday’s dedication and said they were grateful to the post for having honored Bob Kaufman.

“It’s outstanding,” Richardson said. “That’s what he always said, ‘Outstanding.’”

Timed to coincide with the post’s annual picnic, Bob “Pappy” Kaufman Drive was shut down for the afternoon as friends and family gathered to a remember a man of many sayings who loved to give people nicknames.

“Pappy was the nickname we gave to him and he deserved it,” Pennacchio said. “He was a veteran’s veteran.”

Although Bob Kaufman was not there to see the ceremony, Pennacchio said he went to visit him at Hines VA Hospital two weeks ago to tell him about the dedication.

“We told him out plans and said he had to get better so he could be here today,” Pennacchio said. “He said, ‘What an honor.’”