A Winding Road Through Western Mining

William J. Coulter

A winding road from Wallace, Idaho, leads into the town of Murray. Population today is 93, but in 1889 when William Jesse Coulter was born it was a booming mining camp with saloons, brothels, hundreds of miners thirsting for the riches of silver and gold. The main street today is still dirt. Large piles of tailing piles left over from the mining heydays stand as mute testimony to the industry of another era. In Murray’s cemetery rest the remains of fatally injured miners, children stricken by communicable diseases, and of Captain Toncray, Mark Twain’s inspiration for Huck Finn. Today an entrepreneur sells tourists a large plastic container containing dirt, water and gold flakes for $5, hinting at the possibility of a strike.

The Coeur d’Alene Mining district leads the world today in recorded silver production. Just five years before William Jesse Coulter’s birth, lode mining began in the region. The area is known for producing silver, lead, zinc, gold, copper, antimony and cadmium.

The Coulter Family

William Jesse Coulter’s father, Jesse, emigrated from Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1871, and began his journey westward, and eventually into the mining business. He first took an apprenticeship in Chicago where he trained as a joiner and millwright. He became foreman of the Chicago Car and Foundry Company shops, then followed the Dakota Territory’s gold seekers. Jesse joined the first group of men in the opening to whites of the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1877. Here he took a contract framing timber for the underpin works in construction of the earliest stamp mill for the Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota. That mine is now considered the oldest operating underground gold mine in the Western Hemisphere. Present also during these early days were Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. She wrote that she visited all the camps within an area of 200 miles of Deadwood. It was about the time that Jesse arrived in nearby Lead that Calamity Jane overtook a stagecoach and protected the six passengers, driving the stage safely from the Indians to Deadwood.

Jesse couldn’t help but stare at the pretty young woman who arrived in Lead by another stagecoach. Her father, a former shipbuilder from South Thomaston, Maine, was a Lead shopkeeper, catering to miners and Indians. He'd warned his daughter not to talk to strangers on her way west, wanting to protect her from the unsavory men of the west, especially those like the miners of Lead.

Jesse married Mary Titcomb Dean in 1881, and it was then that they moved even further westward, to Murray, Idaho. Here Jesse built the first stamp mill for the Golden Chest Mining Company near Coeur d’Alene, this before Idaho statehood. And it was here that William Jesse Coulter and his sister, Grace, were born and began their educations.

In 1897 the family moved west again, from the mining town to the more populated Spokane, Washington. Jesse worked as general mining developer, employed by Finch and Campbell. Two more children, Eleanor and George, were born in Spokane.

On November 30, 1897, while visiting his maternal grandmother in Wallace, 11 year-old Bill wrote to his father:

"I hope you will some day be a million air. I am going to be a billion air when I am an engineer.”

In spite of his parents' discouragement. Bill continued with his dream of becoming a mining engineer. Despite the Coulters repeated warnings of the hardships of mining, the young boy's mind was filled with dreams and great expectations, excitement of the finds, of the explosions and other sounds of mining, and of life in the mountains.

The Vestal Family

Across the Cascade Mountains in the river town of Snohomish, Washington, Viola Vestal was groomed for a life of refinement. She was surrounded by music and art, and instilled with an appreciation of education. Her father, Samuel Vestal, was an 1870 graduate of Ohio’s Wesleyan University and worked as an early Washington territorial educator. He dabbled in the railroad and merchandising. In 1883, he settled in Snohomish where he and another man opened a mercantile store. He was also one of the organizers of the National Bank of Snohomish. Samuel held elective offices in the county and served in the first State Senate. He was, as is stated in his life’s history:

“. . . an inspiring example of industry, integrity and devotion to duty, and judged by the standard of usefulness. His life has been a very successful one. ”

In the Vestal-Presbyterian-Quaker family, there was little need for argument and discipline. Social graces and higher education were cultural expectations. Before entering the State College of Washington, Viola attended a Boston finishing school for a year.

Viola's mother. Harriet Martin, was the daughter of a Hudson Bay Company carpenter, an 1843 Oregon settler. Harriet and Samuel were the parents of eight children, many of whom became educators.

Although from two different worlds, Viola and Bill's parents encouraged higher education, and the two young people were sent to the State College of Washington in Pullman. They met soon after Viola enrolled, probably in 1907.

As a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, his sister, Grace, one of Viola's sorority sisters, introduced her to Bill. He was a charter member and house manager of the Gamma Mu chapter, Kappa Sigma. According to sister Julia Vestal's diary, the romance was officially announced when Viola accepted and wore Bill's fraternity pin and "the girls rushed towards Viola with joy."

Viola enjoyed summers of leisure, of the social life in the Snohomish community. She was remembered for her gentle demeanor and naive charm.

Bill, on the other hand, worked his way through college because of limited finances. He worked in the campus flower shop and ran the College lecture bureau. He dropped out of school for two years and worked as a mucker and jackhammer man in mining camps of Montana, Nevada and British Columbia.

Bill wrote to his mother during this period and in a letter postmarked Camden, Washington:

“We are up to our levels now and hate been taking topography all morning. I have been running levels for contours. If was my first crack, but I guess I can make good.”

The on-the-job experiences not only provided college funds but a vocational knowledge that would be used throughout his life. He didn't graduate from college until 1914 when he was 27 years old. By then he’d borrowed money to complete his final year, one of the reasons that he envisioned a scholarship fund. He would later say:

“It’s all right for boys to work hard to get through school, but there’s a limit. A scholarship, even a small one, wouldn't have spoiled me and it would have helped me greatly.”

On graduation day, 1914, William Jesse Coulter received his Bachelor of Science degree in mining and a telegram offering him employment as engineer with Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting and Power Company of Anyox, British Columbia. He was hired to develop two Alaskan copper properties on Prince of Wales Island. Production was important as the United States had agreed to supply the allies’ needs for copper during WWI. He was named foreman of the “Mamie" and "It" mines on Prince of Wales Island.

Bill returned the following year to take a bride. Viola and Bill’s courtship culminated on August 14, 1915, when handsome Bill and stunningly beautiful Viola were married in Snohomish at the Vestal family home at 228 Union. (The home is on the National Register of Historic places and is open for visitations where mementos of the family may be viewed.) That summer day in 1915, Viola wore a gold bracelet, perhaps created in some mountain smelter by Bill, and a layered and ruffled lace and organza gown. He looked dashing in his three-piece suit with bow tie. It may have been the last time for many years to come that the couple dressed in such high fashion as they soon would be living in the first of many mining towns.

To the Mines

The newlyweds moved to Ketchikan, Alaska, across Clarence Strait from Prince of Wales Island. It was here that their first daughter, Louise, was born October 27, 1916. Bill, Jr., followed in 1918. Life in Ketchikan was far more civilized than their next home on Observatory Inlet, the site of Granby’s main operation. Although his new position gave him the title of “efficiency engineer,” Bill not only mined, but served as barman, shift boss, and was foreman of the operation. He then was named assistant mining supervisor, producing 3,500 to 4,000 tons of ore each day.

Bill was looking at other opportunities to improve his income and his professional skills. His opportunity came in 1926 when American Metals Company acquired The Pecos Mine in Terrerro, New Mexico, and hired Bill as assistant mining superintendent. Bill and Viola moved their family to New Mexico. It was a difficult time with adjustments to a change of climate, new friends, new schools and a new baby, Patricia. The arduous work of preparing the mine for production meant sinking a new shaft, driving and equipping a haulage level.

Mining circles began talking about this young Coulter fellow and in March, 1927, he was asked to join the Climax Molybdenum Company as general superintendent at Climax, Colorado. It would be the company that he would grow with, the company that would grow with him. The company is now known as Cyprus Amax Minerals Company.

Two Miles High

Life for lovely Viola was wherever Bill took her. Home at Climax, Colorado, was more than two miles high. It is the highest post office and railroad point in the United States with an elevation of 11,320 feet. There was difficulty running a household while importing fresh fruits, vegetables, and dairy products, especially in the middle of winter when snow fell deep and for months. The Blue River Branch of the Denver and Rio Grande railroad stopped at a neighboring town.

It was during their first year at Climax that plans were made to make Climax a company town, but not in the usual context. In this case the company provided facilities to induce miners to stay. Ten years later the town included 175 fully occupied modern homes of four to nine rooms each. There were facilities for dancing, movies, entertainment, and sports such as skiing and basketball. There was a small gymnasium for general physical conditioning.

Both the mine and mill were located at timberline, 11,300 feet above sea level. Snow fell every month of the year at Climax with an average annual fall of about 300 inches. Temperatures frequently fell to twenty below zero and lower. Most of all, Viola missed a social life and entertaining. There were friends and company parties and it was then that “she just glowed," reported a domestic, Josefita Jaramillo Velarde. “Josie” assisted the family from March, 1929, until 1935. Her devotion to the family became a lasting and firm relationship. She remembered that Bill was hardworking, honest, a fair man.

“He possessed a joyful, rollicking laugh, which seemed to come from the bottom of his feet. Everyone called him Boss.”

Notwithstanding that side, he was dignified.

The Climax Mine appointment proved to be a rewarding career move. It put Bill Coulter in the right place at the right time. The mine on Bartlett Mountain was located one mile east of the mining town of Climax, which had been fairly idle until 1924.

Molybdenum Sulfide, or Molybdenite, was plentiful in this area. “Moly” was recognized for its capacity to form a steely alloy with carbon replacing scarcer alloys needed to make harder steel. It can be easily confused with graphite, but not with many other minerals. “Moly” was used in making radio tubes, auto and plane parts, and in chemical compounds and dyes. This mine would become vital because it produced the only alloying metal found in abundance in the United States, and a metal which would become necessary for the war effort. Bill could see its huge potential.

He believed in himself and the company’s prospects. It would not be luck, but preparedness and opportunity that guided him. The usual method of hard rock mining with electric locomotive hauling gave way to “caving.” Under Bill Coulter’s direction and leadership, the caving process became practical because blasting would cause massive areas of the mountain to sink. Development of the process was slow and expensive, but upon completion huge tonnages of ore could be moved with the work of relatively few miners. The system was highly energy-efficient; at no point within the mine was it necessary to raise the ore vertically. All movement was accomplished by gravity except short horizontal travel in the slusher drifts and haulage drifts where trains rumbled day and night.

In the beginning, a year of productive work increased from 300 to 6,500 tons per day and plans called for production increases to 10,000 tons daily. In 1930, the Climax Molybdenum Company, still in its infancy, was doing well. As the sole United States source of molybdenum, the mine now accounted for five percent of Colorado's annual metal production. The 1930s proved to be a decade of great expansion and the Climax Molybdenum Company was rapidly becoming a wonder of the mining and industrial worlds. The conservative 1939 Colorado Bureau of Mines Annual Report referred to Climax as “famous" and “colossal.” By 1940 the mine was producing 20,000 tons daily.

Bill Coulter was proud of his caving process and often hiked up the mountain to show friends the operation. His daughter, Louise, later spoke of frightening hikes along the ridges atop Bartlett as she and her father looked deep down into the great pit.

By January, 1935, Bill was promoted to general manager of western operations. It was also in 1935 that the Montana School of Mines recognized him by awarding him a professional degree of Mining Engineering. The degree was awarded for outstanding work in one’s profession. In this case it was his thesis on the art of "caving" that earned him recognition.

Bill realized the great potential of the molybdenum operation. Wisely he began to accumulate Climax stock, encouraged his friends to buy shares, and advised Denver brokerage firms that he would buy any and all shares offered for sale. He borrowed money to purchase shares and even borrowed from his life insurance policy. Between 1926 and 1936, stock in the firm rose 116,900 percent. By 1939, due to stock splits and stock dividends, Bill Coulter had amassed nearly 10,000 shares of company stock at an average cost of under $1. And by 1938, under his direction, production topped $20 million, leading production of all minerals in the state.

Amassing a sizable estate from the growth of his stock, Bill realized that he needed assistance with his personal affairs and investments. He approached Howard Parks, vice president and trust officer of Denver National Bank. The trust administrator, Harold A. Norblom, assumed the responsibilities of handling Bill’s financial affairs. Norblom became not only his account manager and adviser, but also a life-long friend.

A Home for Viola in Denver

In the Spring of 1935, with years of labor finally being recognized, Bill decided to reward his wife with their first home ownership. During their twenty years of marriage, they had always lived in company-provided housing. But the new home wouldn’t be located in a desolate mining town: they were moving to Denver.

In the midst of preparation for the exciting move to Denver, Viola suddenly was taken ill. She never complained. No one realized how very ill she was. Viola, on the eve of the life for which she had so long sacrificed, died. Her unexpected death was a shock to her children, and Bill. It was as if the family was homeless. It certainly was motherless. Louise was attending the University of Colorado, and Bill Jr. was sent to military school in Hobbs, New Mexico. It was decided that nine-year-old Patsy would be sent to live with her Aunt Grace in Seattle.

For twenty years, Bill had been an integral part of the Vestal family. Viola’s sister, Julia, had an attraction for Bill, and in the months that followed, a romance bloomed. She gave up her teaching position in Tacoma and moved to Denver where she and Bill were married in 1936. Bill bought the Denver home at 4343 Montview Boulevard, east of Denver City Park. It came fully furnished. Bill added a large oil painting of the Climax Mine and placed it above the sofa in the living room. (In 1989, this painting was given to Colorado School of Mines.)

Establishment of the Foundation

Climax continued to prosper. With the advice of Howard Parks and Bill's attorney, Josiah Holland, a detailed estate plan was established. In 1938, Bill Coulter acted on his dream of providing scholarships, remembering the difficulty of working his own way through college. He researched scholarships and found little information on them so he sponsored a contest at Washington State College to assist in the formulation of the original Foundation concept. The scholarship was to be in memory of the girl he met at college, the woman he married, the mother of his three children. It was Bill’s desire to commemorate her devotion and the fact that she so readily accepted the haul and wandering life of her mining engineer plus the reflection on his own efforts at completing his academies. Funding for the perpetual memorial came from investments in Climax stock.

An award was offered for the best essays on the subject of establishing fellowships and scholarships. He was looking for answers. For what purposes should fellowships and scholarships be established? On what basis should they be awarded? How should they be administered?

An astonishing 306 essays were returned. Of these, three contributions were deemed outstanding. The prize essays earned their authors scholarships. Out of this research, a book was published by WSC in 1940: A Handbook on Scholarships and Fellowships. In the forward, E. O. Holland, WSC president, wrote:

"Mr. Coulter suggested that a careful study be made of the history of scholarships and fellowships in order for a concrete suggestion to be offered as to the condition under which awards might be granted. ”

In the handbook introduction, Bill wrote that the publication would serve as a guide for others when providing opportunities for youth. He wrote:

"Money so invested in the native intelligence of our youth and provision for its full development would bring high returns in human happiness and welfare. Assistance of this type could, in many cases, make a difference between success and failure. It is my hope that talents will develop with education subsequently solving the troublesome questions facing society.”

On November 16, 1939, the first meeting was held for the incorporation of the Viola Vestal Coulter Foundation. Trustees and officers were:

William J. Coulter, President and Trustee

William M. Bond, Vice President and Trustee

Howard E. Parks, Secretary, Treasurer, Trustee

Harold A. Norblom, Assistant Secretary/Assistant Treasurer

J. G. Holland, Trustee

E. O. Holland, Trustee

The corporation, it was said in Foundation documents, shall have perpetual existence with the principal objective to maintain a fund and accumulate income for the purpose of promoting higher education; to contribute to the support of public schools, colleges and other charitable purposes.

The articles of incorporation and the bylaws adopted remain in effect as the founder prescribed. During Bill’s lifetime his personal assets provided financial assistance of $250 per year to students at 14 western colleges and schools. In the beginning, only four had been established, paying about $200 to their beneficiaries.

"Moly" Production and the War Years

Bill was playing an important role in the industrial life of the West. He continued to spend much time at Climax, a community in which he showed great pride. Daily output was 15,000 tons of ore; 32,000,000 pounds of “moly” were brought out each year for the war effort.

History was being made around the world. Bill listened intently to the radio news. On March 11, 1941, Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act, empowering President Franklin D. Roosevelt to provide goods and services to those nations whose defense was deemed vital to the United States’ welfare. On December 7, the Japanese opened hostilities with the surprise attack on Hawaii, the Philippines, Guam, Midway Island, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

Other rapid-fire events followed: December 8, the United States Congress declared war on Japan; December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States; December 15, Congress passed an appropriation of ten billion dollars for the defense of the United States and for Lend-Lease aid.

By 1944, the Climax Molybdenum Company increased production to 20,000 tons of ore daily. The company, the largest producing molybdenum company in the United States, received the Army-Navy E award in 1942 for excellence in production for the war effort. They also received three stars for their pennant.

In May, 1944, William J. Coulter accepted an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Washington State College (later Washington State University). He was elected to Phi Kappa Phi in recognition of superior scholarship in his academic discipline.

Also in 1944, his daughter, Louise, became a member of the Foundation's Board of Trustees.

Bill Coulter was a busy man. In addition to time devoted to his profession, family and the Foundation, he enjoyed golf, fishing and club life. He belonged to the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America, the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, the Colorado Mining Association, the Colorado State and Denver Chamber of Commerces, the Republican Club of Colorado, and the Denver and Lakewood Country clubs. He maintained membership in the Sons of the American Revolution and the Young Men's Christian Association.

Bill and his family enjoyed travel. While on a trip to Wyoming, Julia suffered a stroke. Bill immediately transferred her back to their Denver home and wired for the best nurse in Climax to come to Denver to attend to her. Full-time nursing care was needed until her death in November, 1955. The nurse, Mabel Monro, had graduated from St. Luke’s Presbyterian School of Nursing in Chicago. She became household manager and head nurse during Julia’s incapacity of ten years. It was during this time, on September 26, 1949, that William J. Coulter was selected vice president in charge of western operations for Climax, serving in this position until his retirement, December 31, 1952.

Mabel Monro Coulter

After Julia’s death in 1953, another turning point occurred adding to the strength and growth of the Foundation. Bill married Mabel Monro, the faithful nurse and manager of the Coulter home. They moved to Lake Tahoe, Crystal Bay, Nevada, and Bill managed the Foundation from there. It continued to thrive. Mabel was elected as a Trustee.

Over the years, Mabel worked alongside Bill gaining business expertise. They had a wonderful teacher-student relationship. She was keen on detail. Mabel not only received investment knowledge, but from the beginning she had a total commitment to Bill’s family. Everyone appreciated her keen sense of humor, her non-judgmental attitude, her wisdom and advice.

Life at Lake Tahoe was joyful and the years went by quickly, The couple entertained new friends, business associates and their family. They enjoyed boating.

Bill was again honored in 1958 when he was selected to receive the William Lawrence Sanders Gold Medal from the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers (AIME). It was awarded to him for distinguished achievement in contributing in general to the success of the Climax Molybdenum Company and, in particular, for developing mining practices for the Climax Mine.

In 1958, some necessary changes were made to the Coulter family estate plan. It was at this time that Bruce T. Buell, Esq., of Holland and Hart, became acquainted with the Coulters. Bill wrote to Mr. Parks on August 29, 1962:

“The Foundation has been operating 22 years. Five of the members have passed retirement age. Looking ahead to the welfare of the Foundation, a decision needs to be made to replace three members with younger men.”

On September 14, 1962, during a business luncheon at the Denver Club, new Trustees were announced: William F. Cantwell, attorney with Holland and Hart; M. E. Timmins, Trust Administrator in the Denver National Bank trust department; William W. Schley, assistant trust officer who was given custody of the Coulter Foundation accounts.

When Bill Cantwell resigned, Bruce Buell became Bill and Mabel's primary estate planning attorney. Buell became more involved in the Foundation beginning in 1964. He was elected as a Trustee in 1965, and designated primary attorney for Mabel Coulter and the Foundation upon Joe Holland’s death.

Shots, Shouts, Booms of Explosions

In the 1960s, the Foundation’s funds grew and the number of scholarships increased. Because of the growth of Climax, Bill’s status in the community and his widening portfolio were making more people aware of his reputation.

In January, 1942, Roscoe Fleming in an article about Bill in the Rocky Mountain News wrote:

“... to capture the personality of William ]. Coulter is to envision a wide-eyed kid who heard shots, shouts, booms of explosions in the early days. . . who grew to a square, hard-muscled man with a weather-seamed face and penetrating grey eyes. In his office he would shuck off his coat and plunge into work, chewing on a black cigar with refills lined up like a row of cartridges in his vest pocket. He talked directly and bluntly, but with underlying cordiality.”

His peers, many years later, would find that while his reputation was one of being stern, a no-nonsense type of executive, he was candid, quickly putting them at ease. For example, he would ask to be called Bill rather than Mr. Coulter on first acquaintance. He became respected for a reputation of being principled; a man of high standards expecting positive results. He was found to be courteous and kind. He was a man of modest means, goal oriented, grateful for his accomplishments and he intensely wished to return his blessings back to society.

His daughter, Louise, wrote a tribute to her father:

What Would We Do Without Father or Major Father?

Many fathers are willing to keep the peace at any price. But not Father. Being a father is serious business. And the old axiom "a thing worth doing at all is worth doing well" is his guiding light with the family as it is with any other activity he undertakes. As one can see, Father is of New England descent. But he is also very Irish, a fact of which he is very proud.

Father is indeed the head of the family in no small sense of the word. He is the dominating male who sets the laws for the family. His every act and thought is for his family whom he loves dearly. Father is indeed the family man in every sense of the word.

Daddy is a leader at all times and so he is at home. When Daddy has reached a decision, no matter how great or small, there is no swaying to the left or right. He is firm and resolute. Even when the other members of the family have different opinions, Father does not budge and the rest of the family tags along. That is why we call him Major—major being short for majority, for Daddy outweighs us every time.

Bill Coulter loved his family. He admired and respected all the women in his life. He credited his maternal grandmother for his story-telling ability, his principles and spirituality. He was concerned for his mother when he would be away at school. As a helpmate and companion, he considered a woman a blessing to her children. Her education was to steer her in the common interest of the family; insurance should she need to work for financial support, but especially to gain worldly interest and to avoid "cabin fever.” It was with this thought in mind that he made every effort to see that each child achieved the best possible education. Most of all, it seemed he appreciated a woman’s approach to problem solving and would share his thoughts and opinions with the women he loved. He would be both generous and forthright with his siblings, as well, throughout the years. Family gatherings were joyous, vigorous and celebrated events.

Because he had been a pillar of strength, appreciated by his loved ones for the emotional security he provided, it was a devastating shock when he passed away due to a massive cerebral hemorrhage the day after Christmas, 1965. The untimely loss of this husband, father and grandfather caused major adjustments for the family.

The Foundation needed immediate attention. Mabel succeeded her husband as President. She sold their home and moved to Reno where she became totally absorbed in and dedicated to the Foundation. She took it on as her vocation and avocation, serving 22 more years. She believed in Bill’s vision for scholarships and grants, as well as making the Foundation financially viable. Painfully shy in formal administrative functions, she successfully mastered the skills of running Foundation meetings.

Mabel's Continuation of the Dream

Mabel encouraged development of the William J. Coulter Chair in Mineral Economics at Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, as a memorial to the man for whom she had given her life. In 1968, at the announcement of the establishment of the Chair, she spoke:

“The William J. Coulter chair in Mineral Economics will fulfill the dreams of Mr. Coulter for the furtherance of the scholarship program and the development of additional knowledge in this field. Mineral engineering was his vocation and the training of mineral engineers always interested him keenly. Mr. Coulter was one of the founders, many years ago, of the program under which a Mine’s graduate is sent annually for further training at the Harvard Business School.”

During Mabel’s tenure, two of Bill’s grandchildren joined the Board of Trustees. In 1976, Mary Lynne Gutshall Braun was elected, followed by her brother, James Samuel Gutshall, in 1977. Mabel’s Paine Webber broker in Reno, William B. Kottinger, Ill, was elected in May, 1986, replacing Karl Mayer who retired.

Mabel was extremely grateful and aware of the financial security Bill provided for her. She manifested this economic status by rigorous, prudent, and diligent investment practices that enabled the Foundation to function at a higher level of scholarship provision. Mabel died September 1, 1988. She left the bulk of her personal fortune to the Foundation, making a tremendous difference in what the Foundation was then able to do in scholarships and grants. Scholarships alone doubled to $2,500. Mabel was an exemplary President, greatly admired and missed. Her accomplishments were many.

Shortly after Mabel’s death, Bill's daughter, Louise, and a Trustee for 44 years, passed away. The loss of Mabel and Louise was a devastating blow to the family and the Foundation, especially Louise’s children, Mary Lynne and Sam. This was a turbulent time, but changes in administration and additional Foundation members became extremely important.

In 1988, Harold A. Norblom was elected president. He served on the Foundation Board for over 59 years. Others elected in 1988 included Bill Kottinger, vice president; Bruce Buell, secretary/treasurer, and Mary Lynne Gutshall-Braun, assistant secretary. M. Edward Timmins was added as a vice president in 1991. An executive committee would be established comprised of these officers and Trustees.

Fresh ideas blossomed for scholarships and grant proposals as other Trustees were added in 1989: Pamela L. Saxton, Harold Norblom’s daughter; Priscilla Ann Barsotti-Stachel, William J. Coulter’s granddaughter and daughter of Patricia; Judy Gutshall Ward, a cousin of Sam and Mary Lynne. An outside professional fund management counsel would be approved.

Today, because of William J. Coulter’s wise foresight, the Viola Vestal Coulter Foundation enables students in the fields of mining, engineering, law. nursing, medical research, music, business, education, and history to continue towards completion of their educations.

The successful mineral economics program at the Colorado School of Mines and grants to other universities, colleges and hospitals have become tributes and memorials to the founding Trustees.

With pride and resolve to continue the Foundation’s good, noble and rewarding purposes, keeping in mind the original intent of the Foundation, future officers and Trustees will be guided to uphold the principles set forth by the founder, William J. Coulter.