PATRICIA ALICE KAUFERT (LEYLAND)

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PATRICIA ALICE KAUFERT

It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of Dr. Patricia Kaufert (née Leyland) on August 9, 2019.
Pat was born in England, near Liverpool, on January 19, 1935. She was the youngest of three children of Robert and Alice Leyland. She had childhood memories of the Blitz in Liverpool; her older brother Robin served in the Royal Veterinary Corps during the D-Day Invasion; her brother Brookie immigrated to New Zealand in the 1950s. She completed her secondary education at a Roman Catholic boarding school in rural Cheshire. In keeping with a decision to apply a broader humanist perspective to life, she worked during the 1950s in Paris and Normandy with inner-city children. She returned to England and, in order to support her mother, she completed the R.N.I.B. training program and worked as a social worker for the blind in Manchester. After her mother's sudden death in 1961, she enrolled as a mature student at Leeds University in the field of sociology, with an interest in social theory and African studies. She established deep connections with fellow students in the labour and peace movements, and was also involved through the British Council with international student activities. She obtained a B.A. with Honours in Sociology in 1965.
The same year, Pat gave birth to her daughter, Helen. She enrolled in the graduate program of the Centre of West African Studies at the University of Birmingham in 1966, and she and Helen embarked on the Black Star Line to Ghana where she taught at the university in Legon and did doctoral research on migration, health and local development in the town of Tsito.
She and Joe met in 1968 at the University of Ghana, and, once the bride price had been paid, they were married in a traditional Ewe ceremony. They reconfirmed their vows on July 10, 1970, with Joe's family in Minnesota. All three went to Tacoma, Washington and San Antonio, Texas where Joe did medical service during the Vietnam War. Pat was active in the peace movement and taught early courses in African-American Studies and Urban Sociology at the Universities of Puget Sound and Trinity College in Texas.
The family returned to England in 1973, where Patricia and Joe were post-doctoral fellows at the Centre of West African Studies at the University of Birmingham. Pat began a transition to women's health research in 1974-1976 while Joe was appointed as a Senior Lecturer at St. Thomas' Hospital Medical School in London.
Pat and family moved to Winnipeg in 1976 to participate in the development of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Manitoba, where she was appointed as a post-doctoral fellow. She studied then taught epidemiology and medical sociology, before becoming a National Health Research Scholar where she developed an innovative program in women's health. Pat was promoted to Associate Professor in 1986 and Professor in 1994.
Throughout her career, Pat was at the forefront as a researcher and advocate in the field of women's health, impacting menopause, childbirth, screening, ethics, midwifery, and women's utilization of health care services. She worked with the Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada on implications of reintroducing community birthing in northern communities and recording the traditional culture of birthing through women's own narratives. Pat also worked internationally, with the World Health Organization developing the policy on women's health in midlife, and served on the UK Wellcome Trust Advisory Board on Social Science and Ethics.
She made major contributions to graduate education at the University of Manitoba, and, with Joe, developed and directed the PhD and MSc graduate programs in Community Health Sciences, and introduced feminist issues into the undergraduate medical curriculum. She mentored graduate students and colleagues in critical thinking and writing.
Pat was legendary for her love of flowers and her love of good food and for cooking the most wonderful meals. One cannot help but think of Pat as being amongst the doyennes of cookery from Britain, Elizabeth David, Jane Grigson, Claudia Roden - and Patricia Kaufert. She was the most generous of friends to her large and varied friendship circle, with her time, her wisdom, her support, dinner around her table or delivered if needed, a bunch of flowers, a piece of jewellery, a cook book, a gift for the kitchen or something she saw that made her think of you.
Living with Joe gave Pat extraordinary insights into the art of magic, for example the ability of red foam bunnies to clone themselves in the dryer when Joe had forgotten to empty his pockets.
Pat loved to be surrounded by friends and family, to keep in touch with those far-away, and most of all she loved visits with Helen in London and Winnipeg. The most important things in Pat's long and illustrious life were Joe and Helen.
The family are deeply grateful for the loving care Pat received over the progression of her illness, from Klinic Health Centre, Deer Lodge Centre, from companion caregivers, and from her strong network of friends and colleagues.
A memorial celebration will be held on Monday, August 19, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Winnipeg, 603 Wellington Crescent.
In lieu of flowers, a donation in Patricia's name to the Stephen Lewis Foundation to support the "Grandmothers' Campaign Fund" would be appreciated. Cheques can be sent to the Steven Lewis Foundation, 260 Spadina Avenue, Suite 100, Toronto, ON M5T 2E4. Online donations to the Steven Lewis Foundation can be made at:

https://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/

NEIL BARDAL
FUNERAL CENTRE
204-949-2200
neilbardalinc.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 17, 2019