G. "Barry" Coulter

G. “Barry” Coulter, age 85 of St. Peter, passed away peacefully with his wife, Donna, at his side on April 21, 2021 at the Mayo Hospital, Mankato. Condolences for the family can be left at www.saintpeterfuneralhome.com. Cards can be mailed to the funeral home and redirected to family.

Barry was born the first of two children to George and Evangeline (Kennedy) Coulter on February 28, 1936 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Along with his sister, Donna, the family of four moved to Winnipeg in 1939. Growing up as a young boy in Winnipeg, he fell in love with trains and the railroad. Barry’s dad’s new job in Kasota, MN brought them to the US in 1949, and in 1953 to live in nearby St. Peter. Barry graduated from St. Peter High School in 1954 and Gustavus Adolphus College in 1958 and also did further graduate studies in various science areas.  Beyond his formal education he was known to be a voracious reader and have an almost photographic memory. He then taught at St. Paul Park, Duluth, and Mankato West High Schools. In the early 1960s, Barry volunteered to serve six months in the US Army Reserves, even though only a Canadian citizen.

Canada drew Barry back; to Calgary, where his interests in photography and Scottish dance were fulfilled while working various jobs, including a summer for Rio Tinto in the Yukon. Returning to help his mother in the Coulter family home on Pine Street in St. Peter, he found lasting employment at the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center. There, he met Donna, the love if his life, that resulted in marriage in 1981. Renting until 1990, when they bought their cute house on Jefferson Avenue in St. Peter and living there until retirement in 1996. Barry’s lifelong wish to retire to Canada took them to Schreiber, Ontario, a small railroad hub at the top of Lake Superior. There they were warmly welcomed and made fast friendships with the members of St. Andrew’s United Church and the Schreiber Senior Center. Both recall the nine years there were the best times of their lives, since the area brought back Barry’s earlier love of trains and railroads. Serious medical issues for Donna prompted a return for both to Minnesota in 2005 that proved successful. They lived on 3^rd Street and Washington Avenue until Barry’s series of medical issues resulted in their moving to Sand Prairie Assisted Living in mid 2019.

Barry is survived by his wife, Donna; sister Donna Carpenter of Ft. Wayne IN; nephew Dave (Marika Holmqvist) Carpenter and niece Jenneth Carpenter, all of Ft. Wayne; step children: David Gray of Mankato, Diane Missaghi of Prior Lake and Cyndi Zarbano of St. Peter; and lifetime pal and family friend Bob Adolphson of Minneapolis. He was preceded in death by his parents: George and Evangeline.