December 20, 2012

Edmund M. Kaufman (who died December 20, 2012, at the age of 82) owned a bookstore devoted to the mystery genre, in San Mateo. The bookstore was called "M is for Mystery." His obit mentions many fans of Mr. Kaufman and his store, people like Dave Eggers, Walter Mosley and Michael Chabon. The store was opened in 1996 as a retirement profession and closed after Kaufman retired, again, in 2011. He said his career as a corporate lawyer prepared him for the rigors of being an independent bookstore proprietor.

According to the obituary appearing in the local San Francisco paper,

A native of Cleveland, Mr. Kaufman opened M is for Mystery in 1996 while practicing law in Los Angeles at Irell & Manella, which he had joined in 1959. According to the firm, Mr. Kaufman worked on more than 300 mergers and acquisitions....

In April, [2012] the Mystery Writers of America presented Mr. Kaufman with the Raven Award, "given for outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing."
...
Mr. Kaufman is survived by his wife, Jeannie, his children Idette, Paul, Deborah, Abram, and Nick; seven grandchildren; and a brother, Lance. 

Kaufman is also survived by one, maybe more, cats, and a golden. They too missed him according to their natures.