Obituary of Ruth Coulter

Ruth Coulter (March 30, 1915 - March 2, 2009) died at the age of 93. Ruth Adelaide Getty was born on the March 30, 1915, the youngest of 4 children, in Winchester, Ks, a small town north of Lawrence. Her father, Hugh Getty, owned a grocery store/creamery station there. Hugh courted and married Ada Cathcart after he returned from 2 years in the Yukon Territories and the Klondike Gold Rush in 1899. Ruth attended schools in Winchester and was Valedictorian of her high school class in 1933. Ruth earned money to attend college by teaching in a one-room country school for a two years. She had the typical experiences of a country school teacher; riding a horse a few miles to school and getting there early to start up the coal fired pot belly stove in the middle of the room. She attended Kansas State University and received her teachers certificate. Ruth met Clyde Coulter in the middle thirties at a church social in eastern Kansas. They dated some but mostly just corresponded as Ruth moved to Goodland, Ks. to teach and Clyde moved to Chicago to attend graduate school at Northwestern University. They were married 3 weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941 in her parent's house in Winchester. Soon after, Clyde joined the navy. The couple was able to be together through much of the war, living near Chicago at Great Lakes Navy Training Base, and later at the Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia. They formed many long lasting friendships with other Naval officers and their wives that Ruth maintained for decades. After the war, they returned to Chicago where Clyde completed his journalism degree at Northwestern. He taught there as well as was an assistant publisher of an area newspaper. Ruth enjoyed working at the Northwestern University Library. Ruth gave birth to their first child, Carolyn, while they lived in there. In the next year, they decided to trade the big city newspaper life in for being their own bosses running a small town weekly newspaper in Flagler, Co. They bought the weekly paper there in 1948. In 1950, they had a son, Bob. As with any residents living in a town of 600, they were active in civic organizations, churches, school activities and played a lot of cards. Ruth was a board member for the town library and area mental health organization for many years and devoted a great deal of time to Women's Club. In addition to being a housewife and mother of two, Ruth worked 40+ hours a week at the newspaper as a writer, proofreader, bookkeeper, binding machine operator, typesetter, and reporter. Ruth and Clyde published an issue of the paper every Thursday (never missing a deadline) for more than 44 years. Family vacations were generally limited to how far and much could be done between Thursday and the next Monday. There were at least 2 weekend trips a year to eastern Kansas to see family and also as many summer trips to the Colorado mountains as they could squeeze in. Clyde's failing health caused them to sell the newspaper in 1992 but he kept the printing business as a hobby. Throughout her life, Ruth enjoyed growing flowers, puttering in the yard, playing cards (especially bridge) and reading. After non-stop days at the news office, Ruth did "pick-up" work at night creating beautiful cut-work tablecloths, needlepoint, knitting, and embroidery; she made afghans for her family and friends. A fabulous cook and baker, Ruth's cinnamon rolls and "Gerry's Party Pie," received rave reviews. In addition to writing for The Flagler News, Ruth fired off at least two family letters a week at her typewriter, often using carbon paper with vey few typos. Friends and family eagerly opened letters from Ruth, knowing that a wonderful visit was in store. Always open to new adventures, Ruth bought golf clubs and walked the local golf course; she also enjoyed water aerobics. Ruth's amazing ability to celebrate each and every day, despite challenges and exhaustion, made her a treasured inspiration. Ruth's older sister, Lois Eastwood, was a farmwife, school teacher and writer in southern Nebraska and mother of three, Her brother, Clyde Getty, was a chemical Engineer for Sinclair Oil Company until his retirement. Her brother, Hugh Getty, worked with Army Corp of Engineers in Little Rock, Ark., and was the father of three. All of her siblings have passed on in the past 25 years. In the last fifteen years, Ruth and Clyde found more time to travel; many trips to Greenwich, Ct to visit Carolyn and husband, Bob, and a wonderful Alaskan Cruise. During the inland bus tour portion of that trip, she was able to trace part of her father's Klondike adventures with the help of the bus driver and her dad's detailed journals. Clyde passed away in 2003. Ruth continued to live independently in their home in Flagler for 3 more years and still drove around town. She moved to Beatrice Hover Assisted Living Center in Longmont in late 2006 to be near her son Bob and his family. Survivors include; Carolyn Gilbert and her husband Bob of Greenwich, Ct.; Bob and wife Shelley of Longmont, a grandson, Brandon of Santa Monica, Ca., and a number of nieces and nephews. A memorial service for Ruth Coulter will be held Monday ~ March 9, 2009 ~ 11:00 A.M. at the First Congregational Church ~ Flagler, CO Memorial contributions may be made to the Flagler Community Library P.O. Box 367 Flagler, Colorado 80815 Or Donor’s Choice