Strength, admiration, inspiration, perseverance, positive outlook, can do attitude, fighter, quirky, witty, funny, stubborn, are just a few phrases to describe Don. He was a husband, father, grandpa, brother, cousin, family, friend, co-worker, and so many other things to all of us. We all will remember him by his determination in life.
Medically his life was anything but easy. Regardless of loss of both his legs, two kidney transplants and numerous surgeries, this didn’t keep him from doing what he wanted. His brother Bob graciously donated a kidney to Don in 1984, which lasted 12 years. Don received a kidney and pancreas in 1998, which gave him 20 more years. We all are forever grateful for such generous donations to have Don in our lives for the last 67 years.
Don grew up in Irondale with his Mom LeRose, and Dad Ernest, and 6 siblings. He went to Chimacum School, and he always said he was a 13 year Senior, as he went to the same school from K-12. He graduated High School in 1969. Don always said he saw a commercial which showed large mainframe computers and that is what he pursued after high school. He enrolled in technical school and learned to be a computer programmer.
Don loved work, the solving problems or creating programs. He worked 30 years for the State in various agencies doing virtually the same thing in each agency. He then went back to work for another 12 years when he finally quit in 2014. During his 42 years of working for the State Don made many good friends.
His great love, Kelly were together for 47 years, married for 45. They met one weekend when Don went to visit his good friend from Chimacum School, Mary, when she and Kelly were attending Peninsula College. The joke, according to Mary, was that she introduced Don to Kelly and she never saw them again until after the wedding. It was a small intimate wedding at Kelly’s parents’ house on Mercer Island on February 10, 1973.
Don loved his family and loved spending time with them. Don and Kelly went to Disneyland and Disney World numerous times. Later, they both found Disney cruises and made many friends cruising all over the world. They also went on an Adventures by Disney land tour of China and Hong Kong. If it wasn’t vacation, it was day trips on the trike. Both Don and Kelly enjoyed taking advantage of the nice weather and going on rides on the trike as much as possible.
No matter what life threw at Don, he always made it work. Loss of both of his legs never got him down. He had a great sense of humor about it, which at times made Kelly simply roll her eyes at the banter Don and Jennifer would go into.
He was a great man who none of us will ever forget. Please know that he will be missed, but will always live in each of us and walk through life with us. He would want us to celebrate his life and think of him in times of need. I know I ask myself what would Dad do, and the answer is always keep going, don’t give up, if you want it then you will do it. He was an inspiration, but to me he was simply my Dad.
In loving memory of Don Coulter, composed by his loving daughter, Jennifer Karlson
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