Jerry Lance Coulter

Jerry Coulter, age 89, died Thursday, November 20, 2025, at Sentara RMH in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He was a well-known artist with works in private and public collections throughout the Mid Atlantic and the Southeast. During his career as an artist, Jerry won over 36 awards and his work was accepted in over 135 regional, national, and international juried exhibitions. For the past 15 years, he was represented by Saatchi Gallery online.
Jerry was born in Charlotte, NC on April 19, 1936. He graduated from Newton-Conover High School in Newton, NC in 1954. He then volunteered for the draft and served two years as a high speed radio operator, the last year in Bad Kreuznach, Germany. After finishing his Army service, Jerry used the GI Bill to attend Furman University in Greenville, SC, where he graduated cum laude with distinction in art in 1960. He was awarded a teaching fellowship at Ohio University in Athens, OH, where he studied with a distinguished art faculty, and graduated with an MFA in 1962.
That same year, Jerry began his teaching career as an art professor at Columbia College in Columbia, SC. In the four years he was in Columbia, he won every major award in state artists' shows; had a one-man show at the Columbia Museum of Art; and sold paintings to every major art museum in the state.
In 1966, Jerry accepted a position of associate professor of art to develop the painting program at Madison College in Harrisonburg, VA. By 1976, Jerry was honored to become the youngest full professor of art at the school's new name of James Madison University. He became a Madison Scholar, served in the university senate and helped to establish the MA degree and later the MFA degree in studio art for which he served as chair until he retired in 2000. Although he was primarily a painter, Jerry had many talents that he displayed in a variety of artistic disciplines, including charcoal drawing, etching and sculpture.
In 1982, Jerry established an off-grounds painting workshop for graduate students at Orkney Springs, VA in the historic hotel. This workshop offered participants a studio class with 1-1 instruction for 10 days in the beautiful space of the hotel complex, now known as the Episcopal diocesan retreat, Shrine Mont.
In the Fall of 1991, Jerry led the JMU Semester in London with 21 students. He continued to travel to the UK and other European countries with major art museums throughout his retirement years.
He retired from JMU in 2000 and became the first president of the newly formed Faculty Emeriti Organization, which today serves faculty emeriti in a wide variety of activities.
After 29 years of leading his painting workshop, Jerry retired again to devote himself to painting in his newly built studio on Ott Street in Old Town Harrisonburg. Among his many skills, Jerry designed the entire house and studio, with views of the Appalachian mountains, and continued to paint there for the rest of his life.
When not teaching or painting, Jerry was an avid sportsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking, and especially surf fishing at the Outer Banks in NC. At age 60, Jerry earned a private pilot's license and enjoyed taking family and friends for flights in and around Virginia for the next 12 years. He was also an avid reader and a history buff.
Jerry was a member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church and served the city of Harrisonburg for over 10 years by setting up the voting machines at various precincts for elections in the city of Harrisonburg. Jerry was generous with his time and talents and helped whoever sought his advice and expertise. He loved entertaining friends and family and telling a good story. His wit and humor were unmatched and he loved a good pun.
He will be greatly missed and is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Phyllis Yarrow Coulter, and sons, Thomas Andrew Coulter and wife, Johanna, Daniel Yarrow Coulter and wife, Elnura. He dearly loved and was so proud of his three grandchildren, Michael, Jim, and Julia Coulter.
He is also survived by his sister, Sandra Buckley of Cornelia, GA, four nephews and five nieces and families, who enjoyed Coulter Thanksgiving reunions at Uncle Jerry's. Other survivors include sister-in-law, Susan Yarrow Cook and husband, Ronald E. Cook of Raleigh, NC along with one nephew and six nieces and families who enjoyed summer reunions at various places.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, his younger brother, Dr. Edwin M. Coulter and wife, Nancy Mattison Coulter of Clemson, SC, older brother, H.P. Coulter, Jr. and wife, Becky of Kannapolis, NC, brother-in-law, Dave Buckley of Cornelia, GA and sister-in-law, Joan Yarrow Barber and husband, Dr. Robert J. Barber of Northville, Michigan.
Kyger Funeral Home in Harrisonburg is handling the arrangements. A Celebration of Life is being planned at a later date. Burial at Woodbine Cemetery is private.