Thomas Coulter

Thomas J. Coulter

November 23, 1944 - March 30, 2017

Our dear friend, Tom Coulter, passed away Thursday, March 30, 2017 at Mills Peninsula Hospital, from complications of pneumonia and a bacterial blood infection. Tom was born in San Francisco to Don W. and Wilna Coulter on November 23, 1944. He had two older brothers, William Dubbin, and Don Coulter, both preceded him in death. Tom has one surviving younger brother, Jim Coulter. Tom is also survived by his three nieces, Allison, Carolyn, Kelly and a nephew, Chris.

Tom's family relocated from San Francisco to San Carlos when the kids were young, and Tom graduated from Carlmont High School in 1961.
After having a few jobs in the San Carlos area, Tom started a career with PSA airlines in 1967. He was a Station Clerk in San Diego and went onto be one of the "best Sales Reps for PSA", according to Jim Patterson, VP Operations for PSA. Tom was also the "Grinning Bird" mascot for PSA airlines, he loved to be on stage and entertaining.
After being laid off from PSA, Tom decided to try tending bar. He was a natural. Again, he was onstage. He performed 4 nights a week at Windows on Chestnut and his performances included an amateur magic show. He would ask new customers to be his sidekicks for his tricks which would make them cringe but delight the regulars, who have seen the show time and time again and knew the outcome. The sidekicks were the ones who actually made the show.

In August of 1987, Tom bought his first bar with fellow Windows bartenders, Rene Lacore and Judy Louch. The little bar on Geary called The Nag's Head, became a big hit in no time and was able to facilitate the purchase of the bar Glen Park Station on Diamond St., in June of 1990. Judy decided to move to San Diego, so The Nag's Head was sold and she was bought out of Glen Park Station. The Philosophers Club in West Portal, came up for sale in 2000, and was purchased by Tom, Rene and another partner, Chris Bolger. But in 2004, Rene decided to move her family to North Carolina, Chris wanted to move back to the Northeast and the bar was sold to Tom and Richard Donahue, who own the Marina Lounge, but call the West Portal home.

In 2006, Tom realized he had a problem with alcohol and joined AA, and even being in the bar on a daily basis, the bar was never a "trigger" for him. He could recognize in some customers a potential problem brewing, and would take them under his wing and be a sounding board for them and even take them to meetings if they were so inclined. He was not a pushy reformed alcoholic, but a concerned for others AA member.

Tom and Rene have remained best friends and business partners for over 29 years. Tom was never married, but called Rene "the best wife I never had". He treated her two children Michael, now 27 and Catherine, 26, like his own from the time they were born. From taking Catherine to art and pottery lessons, and Michael hiking and on many trips to Fort Funston to watch the hang gliders, volunteering for their classroom field trips and taking them Mothers Day, birthday and Christmas shopping for their mom, he was always there for them.

But, Tom was that way with everyone. He was there for anyone and everyone that needed him, at anytime, night or day. He would always say, "call me any time, even in the middle of the night, I have to answer the phone anyway…" He will truly be missed by all who knew him.

A Memorial for Tom will be at Glen Park Station, 2816 Diamond St, San Francisco on Saturday April 15th. Tom has stated for the last 20+ years, he wanted his memorial "from 6 to 9 am, because only my true friends would show up!". There will be another memorial on the same day from 1 to 5pm for the true friends that can't make it at 6am.