City of University Heights, Iowa University Heights City Hall | 1004 Melrose Avenue, University Heights (Iowa City) 52246 | 319-337-6900

UH Diamond Jubilee 1935-2010

NOTABLE RESIDENTS of University Heights

David Belgum		Dottie Ray
Chan Coulter		Wilbur Schramm
Gretchen Harshbarger		Eric Wilson
Lee Koser		Esther Winders
Robert F. Ray

If you have suggestions for additional notable residents send them to:

pat-yeggy@university-heights.org, city historian
webmaster@university-heights.org

Dr. David Belgum

Dr. David Belgum, founder and director of the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, was also perhaps the most prolific writer in University Heights history. He authored 33 books and booklets on a wide variety of topics including Religion And Personality In The Spiral Of Life, Cultural Diversity. Fabrics of Society, and Living with Parkinson’s Disease, published posthumously, Another of his best known titles locally is Memoirs of Iowa’s Only Socialist Mayor, a good natured account of his time as mayor of University Heights in the 1970’s.

A resident of UH for over 40 years, Dr. Belgum was born December 22, 1922 in Glenwood, Minnesota. He received his BA in Sociology from the University of Minnesota in 1944, and his Bachelor’s of Divinity in 1946 from Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary. Dr. Belgum received his Ph.D. in Psychology of Religion from Boston University and completed his Clinical Pastoral Education at the University of Michigan. He was united in marriage to Katherine Geigenmueller on August 8, 1953 at Christ Lutheran Church in Monroe, Michigan.

Dr. Belgum was a child therapist at Ypsilanti State Hospital in Ypsilanti, Michigan from 1952-53, and then established the Clinical Education Program at both the University of Minnesota and the Minneapolis General Hospital. In 1964, Dr. Belgum became Associate Professor at the University of Iowa School of Religion, and in 1969 Professor. Dr. Belgum established the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at UIHC, serving as Director from 1964-1987. His seminars at the University included, “Death and Dying; Stigma: Medical Ethics”. Throughout the years he traveled to China, Pakistan, Mexico, Iceland, and Papua, New Guinea to study the cultural approaches to medical treatment. He retired in 1987 as Professor Emeritus.

Dr. Belgum passed away on April 12, 2007. His wife, Kathie, still resides in the family home at 104 Sunset St.

Chan Coulter
Gettysburg College Special Collections

Chan Frank Coulter was born in Johnson County, Iowa, to Elmer and Ida Hunter Coulter on September 24, 1901. Ida Coulter died about eleven years later and her sister, Etta Hunter, helped to raise Coulter. The family moved to Iowa City when Coulter and his younger brother entered high school. Coulter went on to the State University of Iowa, where he majored in physical education and received a Reserve Officer Training Corps (R.O.T.C.) Commission. In 1924 Chan Coulter set a world record of 53.2 for the 440 yard hurdles. He competed for the University of Iowa. Along with fellow University Heights resident, Eric Wilson, he competed in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, France. Upon graduation, he acquired a job selling life insurance in Pittsburgh.

He married Mae C. Becker in 1926 and had a son, Chan Lowell Coulter, in 1928. The Coulters lived in Pittsburgh for one year before they moved to Lakewood, Ohio, where Chan Lowell was born. While in Lakewood, Coulter sold life insurance, coached track at Western Reserve University, taught physical education, and served in the Ohio National Guard under the 37th Division. His division was called to active duty in 1940 by President Franklin Roosevelt. Coulter was commander of the division's Headquarters Company at the time.

After being called to active duty, he was sent to the South Pacific in 1942. After he was discharged in 1945 for health reasons, he returned to his family in Iowa City and continued to sell life insurance and participate in the military by serving in the Army Reserves as Commanding Officer of the 410th Infantry Regiment. He retired as a full Colonel in 1965.

Coulter worked closely with the Iowa City Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta and received the Coulter Cup, named for him, for his exceptional service to the chapter. He was very active in his community after the war, serving as the mayor of University Heights, working for the Republican Party, volunteering at the Johnson County Historical Society, serving on the local school board, volunteering at the First Methodist Church, and volunteering at the Veterans Hospital in Iowa City. Coulter died in August of 1991. Coulter and his family lived at 1440 Grand Avenue.

Gretchen Harshbarger

Member of the Iowa City Press Citizen's Fabulous 150. Gretchen and her husband, UI speech professor Clay Harshbarger, lived at 305 Sunset in the 1940's Go here to read more.

Lee Koser

Working with his brother, George, as Koser Brothers, realtor Lee Koser was the driving force behind the creation of University Heights. He built two homes in UH. The first was at 100 Koser Ave. The street was later re-named from Western Avenue to "Koser" in his honor. The second was in the UH second addition at 305 Golfview Ave. This story book style home is one of the most distinctive in town. When UH incorporated in 1935 Lee Koser was elected its first mayor. City Hall was his large two story garage until winter when the offices were relocated into his basement. Mr. Koser lived in University Heights until his death, at aged 67, in 1949. Go here to read the article featuring Koser from the Cedar Rapids Gazette, some time in 1936 "University Heights Suburban Government, Runs Along Peacefully As Iowa City Squabbles"

Dottie Ray

Long time host of "The Dottie Ray Show" which started in her University Heights home in the 1950's. Dottie has interviewed thousand of local and visiting guests with warmth and enthusiasm. As the first female editor of the "Daily Iowan" she worked under School of Journalism Director Wilbur Schramm. Dottie and her husband, Dean of Continuing Eduction, Robert F. Ray, bought 305 Golfview from Lee Koser's widow. Named to the Iowa City Press Citizen's Fabulous 150 list. Go here to read more.

Wilbur Schramm

The first director of the Iowa Writer's Workshop (1939-1942) Wilbur Schramm was instrumental in creating what has become one of the University of Iowa's most famous programs. An excellent teacher of writing according to his students, he had a decidedly "casual" approach to teaching.

"Meetings of the workshop as a whole (8-10 students) were not held at regularly scheduled times, but took place perhaps once a month whenever several members had something 'ready' to present. Such group meetings were often held in Schramm's home where his big dog, Shakespeare, snored by the fireplace. The very attractive Mrs. Schramm served coffee and cookies. We watched four year old Mary Schramm showing off for guests and being loved, too. Mary wrote poetry once in a while, and her dad was obviously proud to read it aloud to his students. Sometimes he would ask for our comments on his own short stories. Windwagon Smith was the hero of an adventure series by that name which he sold to the very popular Saturday Evening Post. In those days, I was confident that Windwagon would establish Wilbur Schramm as a great American writer. Even today, I am still sorry that he laid Windwagon aside to become a recognized authority on television and mass media problems." (Barbara Spargo. letter to Stephen Wilbers, February 16, 1976 as printed in The Iowa Writers' Workshop, 1980 UI Press)

The Schramm's built their home at 340 Golfview Avenue in 1935, the same year Wilbur joined the English department faculty. He took a leave from UI in 1942 to work for the U.S. Army's Office of War Information. When he returned to UI he became head of the school of journalism, a position he held until 1947, when he left to start the Institute for Communications Research at the University of Illinois. He later founded the communications department at Stanford University.

Esther Winders

Time Magazine, April 25, 1969: "Darting about on her chrome-festooned motorcycle in her self-designed uniform—white crash helmet and boots, tight black pants and leather jacket—she might be taken for a Hell's Angel auxiliary. Up close, Esther Winders gives no such false impression. The badge on her breast, the pearl-handled pistol and the can of Chemical Mace that hang from her hips, clearly label Mrs. Winders what she is and always wanted to be: a lady cop.

"In fact, Marshal Winders, daughter of a marshal and niece of a police chief, constitutes the entire police force of University Heights, Iowa. The tiny suburb (pop. 2,000) in the shadow of sedate University of Iowa is honeycombed with law and order and can rely on nearby Iowa City police if more—or masculine —officers are needed. Mostly, they are not. Mrs. Winders has never discharged her pistol or Mace can in anger, although she did arrest a drunken driver two years ago.

"Yet she is hardly idle. Patroling on her Harley-Davidson, or in the battered red Studebaker she prefers for late-night cruising, Mrs. Winders keeps University Heights safe from traffic offenders. "I still average one fine or so a week," she says. She also brings a feminine touch to police work. One couple in town had a spat during the night and headed out of their house in opposite directions; the marshal sat with their children until the parents returned the next morning. On the rare occasions when an escaped convict has been in the vicinity, Mrs. Winders and her bloodhound Portia join police from neighboring areas in the chase. Her most serious current problem is an ubiquitous peeping Tom. "They're the hardest to catch," she says. "But I'd like to put some buckshot into him."

"Mayor Chan Coulter, a retired Army colonel, credits his one-woman force with providing a "very special kind of protection in our town." But soon University Heights, which hired Mrs. Winders in 1935 when she asked for the job, will have to start looking for a new marshal. Winders and Portia are contemplating retirement. "The council," says the grandmother, "thinks I'm getting loo old to chase cars." The council may have a point. At 70, Esther Winders claims to be the oldest working policewoman in the nation."

Winders and her husband, Roy, built 141 Koser and later built and lived in 127 Koser.