This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Robert Coulter, 72 years old, born on May 20, 1948, and passed away on May 13, 2021. 

Robert grew up in Muswell Hill, UK the youngest of 3 children to Joan and Robert Coulter. The son of teachers Robert enjoyed lifelong learning and had a strong work ethic. As a result of his academic ability, he was selected to attend the Stationers’ Company School, one of the elite livery schools established by the City of London guilds in the 1800s. Robert was an academic rather than a sports buff and elected to study Latin and history, as well as the usual grammar school subjects. He made many good friends during his school days from 1960 to 1967 and became known for his bridge and crossword skills more so than his Latin. Despite his travels to the far ends of the earth, Robert remained proud of his English heritage and made great efforts to keep in touch with his school friends. In fact, he was on a Zoom call with seven aged school friends from his hospital bed only a few days before the end and still managed to give a great performance. As his childhood friend, Simon Kusseff says “Robert was good company, had a twinkle in his eye and with his dry sense of humor, had the ability to put people at ease”.

Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, Robert had a long, established career in commercial real estate. It was a love match when he met Daphne at work in London. Soon married and moved to Canada two weeks later. Both were engaged in the Rotary Club in Canada and developed long-lasting friendships that were nurtured to this day.  Robert and Daphne raised three children together in Canada, before moving to Phoenix, Arizona. He remained proud of his English and Irish heritage and brought his British-ness with him as he lived and moved around in North America. 

Simon Westbrook, a school friend, was the best man at the wedding and thought he might never see Robert and Daphne again as they sped off after the event in his yellow TR6 convertible. What a surprise to find that a few years later they would both be living in the same country again: Simon in California and Robert in Arizona where they exchanged regular family visits

He loved to travel and experience life; from kayaking in Iceland to herding buffalo in Wyoming. He loved the opera and was on the board of directors for the Arizona Opera using his skills in finance to further the arts. He loved being challenged at work and was often involved in multiple businesses simultaneously, even taking a business call the day he died. He had an orchard and made his own jams/marmalades/chutneys and limoncello.  He was a consummate entertainer and had a flair for fashion with brightly (loud) colored shirts.  He loved to have people over for feasts where all would eat, drink wine (or limoncello), and be merry. 

His generosity will be remembered most by his friends and family. As will the love he had for his wife, Daphne, whom he took care of as her dementia progressed to Alzheimer's over the last 10 years. Daphne currently resides in a memory care home. He is survived by his wife, Daphne, his children, Patricia, Alysson, and John, his son-in-law, Ben, two granddaughters, Aurora and Lucy, and his two sisters, Anne and Margaret, his sister-in-law, Etheline (Lin), and his brother-in-law, Nigel, and his nieces and nephews. 

If you would like to place a donation or gift in his name please consider his most recent charity “Save The Children”  https://www.savethechildren.org/ . He sponsored a young girl, Rigbe aged 14, in Ethiopia. Her birthday is the day after Robert’s and her picture is on the mantle next to his granddaughters.