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Title: Don Coons Collection, 1932-1983

ID: MSS Coons

Primary Creator: Coons, Don (1915-1997)

Extent: 0.02 cubic feet. More info below.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

The Don Coons Collection consists of materials assembled by alumnus Don Coons pertaining to his experience at Oregon State College as a student and athlete.  Donald William Coons earned a BS in Agriculture from Oregon State College in 1939 and excelled in football, military work, and academics.

The Don Coons Collection consists of materials assembled by alumnus Don Coons pertaining to his experience at Oregon State College (OSC) as a student and athlete.  The collection consists primarily of newspaper clippings; it also includes two letters, a banquet program for a visit by the Columbia University (now known as University of Portland) football team, an alumni reunion list, an OSC songbook, and a photograph of the 1935 freshman football team. The letters document Coons' nomination as "Outstanding Football Player of the Pacific Coast" and holiday greetings from then Oregon Secretary of State Earl Snell.

Don Coons attended Oregon State College in the 1930s and graduated with a B.S. in Agriculture in 1939.  Coons was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and excelled in football, military work, and academics.  He was an honor graduate in field artillery based on "character, academic grades, and demonstrated efficiency in military work".  Coons also received the 1939 Locey Athletic Award "given annually to the senior student who, while maintaining a high standard in athletic participation, citizenship, sportsmanship, and inspirational leadership, has excelled in scholarship."

Donald William Coons was born June 25, 1915 in Lisbon, North Dakota, and moved to Salem, Oregon, with his family as a child.  Coons was Assistant Chief of Staff of the G-2 84th Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.  He served 14 years in the U.S. Army and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Coons owned a hardware store in Salem for 30 years until his retirement in 1987.  He was the founder and past president of the Oregon Forest Homeowners Association and past presidents of the National Forest Recreation Association and the Salem Men's Garden Club.  Coons died on December 25, 1997; his ashes are interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

Author: Elizabeth Nielsen

More Extent Information: 1 photograph; 1 box

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: The materials were donated in 2005 to the former University Archives by the Oregon Military Museum at Camp Withycombe in Clackmas, Oregon.

Related Materials: Documentary materials and artifacts pertaining to Coons' World War II service are held by the Oregon Military Museum. The Special Collections and Archives Research Center's holdings include extensive documentation of Oregon State University's intercollegiate football program.  These include the Sports Media Guides (PUB 054) that are available online; Football Photograph Collection (P 004); and football game programs in the Intercollegiate Athletics Records (RG 007), some of which are available online.  Scrapbooks by an unknown creator and by Bob Panagis document  Oregon State's participation in the 1942 Rose Bowl football game; the Dick Corrick Football Scrapbook and Programs (MSS Corrick) provide information on Oregon State's participation in the 1957 Rose Bowl game.  The Bill Tomscheck Scrapbook (MSS Tomscheck) documents the experience and perspective of another Oregon State College football player in the 1930s.

Preferred Citation: Don Coons Collection (MSS Coons), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Finding Aid Revision History: This finding aid replaces information about the collection that was placed online in 2012.

Coons, Don (1915-1997)

College students--Oregon--Corvallis.
Coons, Don, 1915-1997
Football players--Oregon--Corvallis.
Oregon State College--Alumni and alumnae.
Oregon State College--Football.
University History

Photographic prints.