Coulter, Bradley W. 1951-2013

COULTER, BLOODGOOD, HESS

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 8/22/2013 at 11:04:22

LeMars Sentinel
July 5, 2013

Bradley W. Coulter, 62, of Le Mars, died unexpectedly Tuesday, July 2, 2013, at Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars.

Bradley William Coulter was born to Vernard and Lois (Bloodgood) Coulter in Walton, N.Y., on Feb. 22, 1951. He attended elementary school in Walton and high school at Burnt Hills - Ballston Lake Central School, New York.

After graduation from high school he attended Buena Vista University, Storm Lake, Iowa on a football and wrestling scholarship. Brad graduated from BVU in 1973 with a degree in education.

Following college, Brad played semi-professional football with the Delavan Red Devils in Delavan, Wis., for one year. In 1975 he took a teaching position at the Winnebago Indian Reservation School in Winnebago, Neb. At the start of the next school year, Brad started teaching and coaching at Elk Horn-Kimballton Community School District, in Elk Horn, Iowa where he taught elementary education and coached football, wrestling, track and baseball.

On Aug. 6, 1977, Brad was united in marriage with Linda Hess at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church in Elk Horn. Brad and Linda have enjoyed married life together for 36 years.

In 1980 Brad left education to pursue a career with Farm Bureau Insurance. After two years in sales, he was promoted to a managerial position which led the family to Guthrie Center, for seven years where he not only excelled as a Farm Bureau manager but also volunteered as a high school football coach.

In 1989 the family moved to Wayne, Neb., where he continued his career with Farm Bureau and was active as a community volunteer and volunteer high school football coach.

In 1997 the family once again moved, this time to Le Mars, where he continued to work for Farm Bureau for six more years. In 2003 Brad took medical disability due to his advancing Kennedy's Disease, where he has continued to live with Linda to this day.

Brad had a passion for his family, his faith and his friends. He loved spending time with his wife, Linda, and his daughters, sons-in-law and especially with his precious grandchildren.

Brad's extended group of friends were like members of the family, as they all enjoyed spending time together. You could often find Brad together with them enjoying a day at the lake fishing, watching the local high school or college football or wrestling events or maybe just sitting at home enjoying the blessings of good lifelong friends.

Brad was a past member of Rotary International, the Buena Vista University Alumni Board, and a current member of Grace Lutheran Church in Le Mars, where he has held numerous offices, including: president, vice president, treasurer, and elder.

In March of 2013 Brad was inducted into the Elk Horn-Kimballton Wrestling Hall of Fame for his life time dedication to youth as an educator and coach.

Brad is survived by his wife, Linda, of Le Mars; daughter, Larissa (Brent) Kommes, of Elk Point, S.D.; daughter, Chantel (Kevin) Stuart, of Pomeroy; and his four grandchildren, Sailor and Slade Kommes and Bailey and Bryce Stuart; his mother Lois Coulter, of Iowa City; sister Marlene (Michael) Neville, of Iowa City; brother, Dana (Tracy) Coulter, of Rushford, Minn.; sister-in-law, Teresa (Kelley) Kennedy, of Bloomington, Ill.; brothers-in-law, Scott Hess, of Council Bluff, and Jeff (Lori) Hess, of Columbus, Neb.; mother-in-law; Mary Ann (Howard) Mathiasen, of Harlan; and a host of nieces, nephews and life-long friends.

Brad was preceded in death by his father, Vernard Coulter and father-in-law, Verdell Hess.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church in Le Mars. The Rev. Timothy Geitz will officiate. Burial will follow at Resthaven Memory Gardens, rural Le Mars. Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. today (Friday) at Grace Lutheran Church with the family present from 5-7 p.m., and a prayer service at 7 p.m. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the funeral on Saturday.