Molly Aileen Kauffman West

Molly Aileen Kauffman West, of Easton, Connecticut, passed away on February 10, 2026, at the age of 50.

Born on August 4, 1975, in Ithaca, New York, Molly’s life was marked by excellence, leadership, and deep devotion to the people and communities she loved. She grew up in Mountaintop, PA and graduated from Crestwood High School. She then went to Cornell University, where she met her husband over 30 years ago — a partnership that became the foundation of her life and along with their son, Logan, became her greatest source of pride and joy.

While at Cornell, Molly distinguished herself as an exceptional athlete. As an All-American goalkeeper for Cornell Field Hockey, she earned a place in the Cornell Field Hockey Hall of Fame in recognition of her extraordinary achievements, competitive spirit, and lasting impact on the program. Her discipline, resilience, and team-first mentality on the field became defining traits that carried through every aspect of her life.

Professionally, Molly built a distinguished career as a corporate operations executive, contributing her leadership and strategic expertise to respected organizations. She was most recently the GM for Commercial Operations at The Trade Desk; before that, she spent 23+ years with The Walt Disney Company (including ESPN and Fox Family) serving as VP of Linear Ad Operations. She was a trusted colleague and mentor known for her integrity, clarity of vision, and ability to unite teams. She took great pride in being selected to the WICT Network’s Betsy Magness Leadership Institute, which is the premier leadership development program for senior-level professionals across all media, entertainment and technology companies. Her commitment to developing others led her to earn a certificate as an executive coach from Georgetown University, further reflecting her passion for empowering people to grow and succeed.

Molly will be remembered for her strength, intelligence, warmth, and generosity of spirit. Whether leading in the boardroom, competing on the field, or supporting those she loved, she brought focus, heart, and authenticity to everything she did. Her passing leaves a space in the hearts of family, friends, colleagues, and all who had the privilege of knowing her.

She is survived by her husband Brian West, her son Logan, her dog Big Red, her father George Kauffman, her siblings: Kaete Heiderich, Brian Kauffman, and Gerianne Bartocci, her in-laws Bob and Cathy West; and her brother-in-laws: Kyle West, Sean West, Neno Bartocci, and Nate Heiderich. She is predeceased by her mother, Margaret McKerns Kauffman and her daughter, Kit West.

A celebration of Molly’s life will be held on February 28, 2026 at the Spear Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield CT from 1 - 3pm with a service at 3pm; a livestream is available for those who cannot attend in person.

In lieu of flowers please donate to: Colorectal Cancer Alliance