Obituary: Geraldine Lucille Isaacs Coulter, 84, Louisville, formerly of Willisburg

Geraldine Lucille Isaacs Coulter, 84, of Louisville, died Aug. 27, 2013, in Louisville.

She was the first child of Lucille Williams Isaacs of Gravel Switch and William Owen Isaacs of Louisville, and was born on Oct. 3, 1928, in Detroit, Mich.

She and her husband, Leon Coulter, met at Western Kentucky University, where she was an Education Major. Leon first saw her in the Fall, as she was walking on campus atop a small stone border. They were married on June 12, 1948, and just celebrated their 65th year of marriage. Her husband of 65 years has always recalled that specific moment with fond memories, and said he made his mind up at that instant, he wanted to marry, that girl, though he was yet to meet her. They married 6 months later and have had a wonderful marriage.

She attended Fern Creek High School and graduated in the 1946 Class of Okolona High School. She was an English teacher and went back to Leon’s hometown of Willisburg to teach English in the small town high school. When being hired as an English teacher the principal asked her if she would teach Spanish and Penmanship along with English. She was well qualified to teach all but Spanish, which she had only studied for one year. The principal had great confidence in her, and it proved to be well placed. She purchased textbooks and learned Spanish just one lesson ahead of her class. Throughout the years, many former students have told her though she was only 19 when she first taught, she had made a real difference in their lives. This was something that always brought her joy.

She was an avid reader and collected quotes, many times reflecting concerns and events in the family. She and her husband celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with their daughter, Kay, and three grandchildren by taking the Queen Elizabeth II from New York City to South Hampton, England, with an extended trip to Paris. Travel, international and domestic, was an important part of her life. She was always open to new experiences and learning about new places. She instilled in her children and grandchildren her desire to be curious and open to new experiences. She and Leon have been members of Wildwood Country Club, for 54 years, where she enjoyed golf and duplicate bridge. Though ever the lady, she had a competitive edge that placed her as a winning golfer and bridge player, she was a very worthy opponent.

She and her husband, were subscribing members of Actor’s Theater of Louisville for more than 40 years and rarely missed a performance. Many remember her kind and encouraging words and ways, and her special interest in the Ronald McDonald House in Louisville. For years she tirelessly collected pull tabs from aluminum cans to donate to the Ronald McDonald House. Every year she received letters of recognition for her contributions, as she encouraged businesses and individuals to also save the tabs. She would tirelessly collect and gather collections from others.

Her grandchildren, Michael, Jason, Trent, Kate and Beau brought her years of joy, as she continued her “teacher’s way” of seeing the world and sharing her knowledge with the next generation. Whether she was collecting Petosky Stones in Michigan Lakes, or tagging Monarch butterflies on Kelly’s Island outside Cleveland to track their migration to Mexico, shell collecting on Captiva, or picking up fallen bird feathers, she was always on the lookout for wonders of nature. Fossil hunting on the Falls of the Ohio, along with leaf collecting for school projects were always ongoing projects. Nature reveals God’s hands, and lessons on faith were ever-present.

She began her Christian life on “Cradle Roll” of Meadow Home Baptist Church, where she was baptized. She and her husband were 20-year members of Okolona Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, even taking goats to classes to teach the children how to milk a goat and learn about funny goat behavior. She was a longtime member of Women’s Missionary Union, Okolona Women’s Club and the Buechel Women’s’ Club.

In the 1970’s, she and her family joined Christ Church United Methodist, where she was very active. She volunteered many years at Baptist Hospital in their Women’s Auxiliary, Methodist Hospital, and Wesley Manor Retirement Center.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Lucille Williams and William Owen Isaacs, Sr.; one sister, Daphne Isaacs, who died as an infant; and one brother, William Owen (Bo) Isaacs, Jr., who died Oct. 21, 1962.

Survivors include her husband of 65 years, Gilbert Leon Coulter;

two daughters, Marcia Kay Coulter Deckman, (Joe) Highlands, N.C., and Monica Lee Coulter (Lee Burger), Minneapolis, Minn.; and two brothers, James Leo Isaacs (Barbara Dill), Hilton Head Island, S.C. and Leland Thomas Isaacs (Pat) of Louisville; five grandchildren, Michael Todd Deckman, San Diego, Calif., Jason Thomas Deckman of Irvine, Calif., Thomas Trenton Jesukaitis (Beth) of Tuscon, Ariz., Kate Lankford Deckman of Manhattan, and Joseph Coulter “Beau” Deckman (Ashley) of Minneapolis, Minn.; and one great-grandson Leo Royal Jesukaitis of Tuscon, Ariz.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to family and friends who have been so caring and supportive through her long battle with lymphoma. Our deep thank you to the gifted and caring staff at Wesley Manor, who gave her peace, comfort and dignity in her last days. May God bless them all.

The funeral is 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013, at Carey and Sons Funeral Home in Springfield with burial 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013, at Willisburg Cemetery

Visitation was Friday at Ratterman and Sons Funeral Home in Jeffersontown and 1-7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, 2013, at Carey and Sons Funeral Home in Springfield.

In Lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in honorarium to Wesley Manor Alzheimer’s Care, 5102 E. Manslick Road, Louisville, Kentucky 40219.

Ratterman and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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