Coleman Stockdale Leuthy

Coleman and I met in the fall of 1949 at the UofW "Promenaders" an on campus activity sponsored by the P.E. Dept. We both shared  two common interests, Square Dancing and a very attractive young lady we both wished to partner. Our paths continued to cross occasionally at the U, but I really got to know Cole later after I relocated to the Northwest in 1964...Mountaineers..Skiing...Meany Lodge, Sailing, and Mushrooms. We shared many fun events in these areas. One Summer we sailed with Cole and Walt Little up the West Coast of Vancouver Island on two 44 footers, Cole on one boat and Walt, Ann, and me on the other. We rendezvoused each afternoon and Cole would head out for shore in a dinghy... returning with all manner of things he found in tide pools and in the mud. We got a neat education on sea shore life and ate some really great shellfish. In the Autumn up at Meany Lodge during work parties, Cole would disappear into the boonies at times and return with all kinds of mushrooms, and again we ate some great dinner side dishes. Cole was guest fungi Guru at the Meany Hut Mushroom weekends for many years and really educated a bunch of us. The continued great success of the annual  Meany Lodge Mushroom weekend and dinner is testimonial to his influence and teaching.

 

“The World’s Most Interesting Man?” 

 

How did you know Coleman Leuthy?

 

Was it as a long-time teacher of botany and chemistry, inspiring students to pursue the sciences? 

 

Was it has a renowned expert who could identify a thousand different mushrooms by genus and species, or an alpine plant expert – perhaps from the Puget Sound Mycological Society or one of the native plant groups he loved?

 

Was it as one of the smoothest skiers in Pacific NW history – the one whose keen scrutiny you had to get past to be a fully certified ski instructor?

 

Was it as a National Park Service Ranger in the Hoh and Mt Rainier national parks, the mountaineer with dozens of summits, hiker of thousands of miles of trails, the Ptarmigan Traverse trail blazer or the Meany Ski Hut Chair?

 

Was it as a lover of classical music and ballet, or the man who could repair a tractor with baling wire and spare bolts from a box in the barn, somewhere, fix a pump to put water on a hay field in the scorching heat of a summer at Eagle Creek, or yodel up the canyon just to hear the echoes?

 

Was it the world-traveler, the seven-continent man who spanned the globe from Xian to thePakistan, the Alps to Kamchatka, Denali to theDanube?  Did you see him exchanging Latin names for native Alaskan names for tundra plants with an Alaskan guide?

 

Was it as a family member or close friend with whom he shared nature walks and long talks around a fire, a gourmet meal replete with, of course, mushrooms; perhaps morels sautéed in butter and garlic or “buttons” as part of a spaghetti sauce?

 

Please share your memories with us – a photo, a story, laughter and love.

Thank you, Cameron Leuthy