Margaret Coulter

(From Clark Funeral Home)

Margaret Marie (Morris) Coulter was born December 8, 1922 in Loveland, Oklahoma and passed away November 18, 2020 in Neosho, Missouri. She was the third child born to Myrtle Marie (Moore) and Earl Leslie Morris. 

After moving to Missouri, she attended school in Diamond, MO. She graduated from high school as the valedictorian of her class. She then enrolled in Joplin Junior College where she met Theodor Coulter. 

Along came WWII, and Thei joined the army and was sent overseas. Margaret taught in a rural school until he returned. They were married January 20, 1946. They purchased the Diamond feel mill and ran it for many years, retiring in the sixties. 

Retirement led them to volunteering to serve the youth of their church, taking many trips with the youth to places such as Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Mexico, and many trips up Pikes Peak in Colorado. Traveling slowed as they aged, so they volunteered to deliver food to those in need for the Food Brigade in Newton County for thirty years. 

Margaret organized a project leading fifteen people to build and repair housing. In 1987, they spent Christmas in Tucson, AZ building Habitat for Humanity for low income families. At sixty-five, Margaret was hanging sheet rock, digging ditches, framing structure, and roofing for two months, finishing seventeen houses. The two continued year after year living in their camper trailer for two to three months at a time. 

In 2003, Margaret was awarded the Church Woman United recognition as the “Valiant Woman”. The Neosho Exchange Club awarded their 2006 “Book of Golden Deeds” to this couple. They accepted by saying “We were only doing what we love, helping our fellow man”. This quest took them to many places such as Jamaica, Honduras and many places in the USA. 

During all this time, they remained active in their local church where she taught Sunday School for over forty years, worked in Christian Women’s Fellowship and held every imaginable leadership role. 

Margaret was preceded in death by her husband of over seventy-two years; mother and father; sisters, Pauline Mullins, RuthJean Salsman, and Helen Morris; and one brother, Earl Leslie Morris, Jr. 

She is survived by one sister, Frances and husband Charles Boyd of Duncan, OK; many nieces and nephews; a special nephew, Dr. David DeTar and wife, Dr. Sandy DeTar of Joplin; and a host of friends.

A graveside service will be held at the Diamond Cemetery, Diamond, MO on Monday, November 23, 2020 at 2:00 pm. The service will be officiated by Rev. Pamela Pettyjohn. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to First Christian Church, 1324 Oak Ridge Drive, Neosho, MO 64850.