James 'Jim' Joseph Koetter

James 'Jim' Koetter, 87, passed away on February 18, 2025. 

Jim was born in 1937 to Art and Mary (Lepper) Koetter at the family farm home north of McCook, Nebraska. The youngest of six, he grew up on a diversified farm which raised corn, wheat, pigs, chickens, and also had milk cows. Being a typical farm at this time, these crops and livestock provided not only food for the family but also milk, cream, and eggs to sell. As Jim became older, his main responsibilities were to milk cows twice daily, feed the pigs and help with other chores as needed including driving the tractor in the field or helping with wheat harvest. Having three older brothers meant that Jim got the jobs his brothers didn’t want to do, like cleaning out the chicken coop! He was also the recipient of their practical jokes; once they gave him chewing tobacco and told him to swallow the juice. Needless to say, it made him very sick!! 

Jim started first grade in a one-room country school when he was four years old, riding double on a horse two miles with his sister, Veldron. He graduated from McCook Senior High School in 1954 at the age of 16. He was an active member of the Future Farmers of America. He did not participate in any high school sports which made his eventual success in three sports at McCook Junior College and later in football and track at Idaho State University so unusual. 

Jim continued to work on the family farm after graduation and he also played American Legion baseball and McCook city league basketball. This became an eventful time in Jim’s life, as his friend introduced him to his future wife, Barbara Stinnette, and he was also recruited to play basketball at McCook Junior College by Merle Confer after seeing Jim score 52 points in a city league game. Jim and Barbara were married in the spring of 1956 and Jim started college in the fall. Although recruited to play basketball, Jim played football, basketball, and ran track during his junior college years, earning letters and winning conference championships in all three sports. In 1957 he was a junior college All American in football as a receiver and safety. He also set MJC records in the half mile and 880 and mile relay teams. 

In August of 1958, he and Barb packed their belongings into a U-Haul trailer and left Nebraska for what would become their eventual permanent home in Pocatello, Idaho. Jim played receiver for Babe Caccia at Idaho State University in 1958 and 1959. He also ran the 220 and 440 for coach Dubby Holt on the track team. In1985 Jim was inducted into the ISU Sports Hall of Fame for his performance in football, track and field. Following his first football season with the Bengals, Jim and Barb’s first son, Dirk, was born. 

Jim graduated from ISU in 1961 and accepted a teaching/coaching position in Aberdeen, Idaho. Jim was the head football and track coach and assistant basketball coach. As football coach, he lined and watered the football field, washed towels and uniforms, and repaired helmets and equipment. While coaching in Aberdeen, their second son, Brent, was born. In 1963, when Highland High School opened, he was hired to teach and be an assistant football coach. Jim and Barb’s family was completed with the birth of their daughter, Jill in 1964. 

In 1965, he became the head football coach where his coaching career flourished. Jim was head coach from 1965-79 and his record at Highland was 102-49-2. He was coach of the year in 1972. They were crowned “mythical” state champions in 1972 and 1973. Jim also served as assistant basketball coach with Ron Kress for 11 years and during that time, the team advanced to the state tournament all 11 years. He produced several state champions in track as the head track coach. It was during these years that Highland’s winning tradition was established and the mantra RIGHT ATTITUDE MEANS SUCCESS was coined. All sports at Highland excelled because coaches in all sports worked together so well and encouraged their players to participate in other sports. They also had the support of the administration of Principal Lionel Bowser and Athletic Director John Evans. Jim spent many hours counseling young men, and years after he retired received letters from former players telling him how he had influenced their lives and their work ethic.

In 1979, he was hired to be the Assistant Head football coach at Idaho State University under Dave Kragthorpe. In 1981 the Bengals won the 1-AA National Championship. He was the head football coach from 1983-87. He was the last coach at ISU to defeat both Boise State and Idaho in the same season. The 1983 team was the last Bengal team to reach the 1-AA playoffs.

In 1988 he became the head football coach at Pocatello High School, turning around a 20-year losing program in his first season and winning a state championship his second. They won additional state championships in 1990, 1992 and 1994. He was always quick to point out that the success was due to very supportive boosters, administration, and an excellent coaching staff and players. He and his son, Brent, also coached the girl’s basketball team from 1991 to 1995 and were the state runner up four times.

Jim retired from teaching in 1995 but continued to assist Brent at Highland until Brent left coaching in 2000. 

In his retirement years, Jim played golf for many years with a group of friends he thoroughly enjoyed. He and Barb enjoyed traveling to Dirk and Brent’s football games, spending time with their grandchildren, and weekly dinners with friends. He also devoted a great deal of time as CFO of the family business H & F Investments which originated with Howard and Fern Stinnette. When Barb’s health deteriorated, he became her full-time caregiver.

Jim is survived by his wife of 68 years, Barbara; his children, Dirk (Kim) Koetter, Brent Koetter both of Boise, Idaho, and Jill (Stan) Latimer of Pocatello, Idaho; grandchildren, Kaylee (Peter) Prigge, Derek Koetter, Kendra Koetter, Davis (Callan) Koetter, Joe (Evie) Koetter, Robyn (Jeffrey) Johnson, Jamie Koetter, Stanton (Shyann) Latimer, and Nathan Latimer; great-granddaughters, Lincoln Paige and Josie May Johnson, Shiloh June Koetter and Peyton Jerome Prigge; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Art and Mary Koetter; his siblings, Dick Koetter, Bernard, Koetter, Art Koetter, Veldron Harmon, and Rose Doyle; his sisters-in-law, Pat Koetter and Marilyn Koetter; and brothers-in-law, Gene Doyle and Clayton (Beenie) Harmon.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of Wilks Funeral Home, 211 West Chubbuck Road, Chubbuck, Idaho. A memorial service will take place at that location on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 beginning at 12:30 pm with a reception following. The family encourages you to write memories of Jim on the Wilks tribute page at wilksfuneralhomes.com..

The family would like to thank Symbii Home Health and Hospice, Dr. Jordan Bailey, Cornerstone Caregivers staff, and Destiny, Phoebe, Amanda, and Amelia, and neighbors and friends for their kindness and compassion. 

In lieu of flowers the Idaho Youth Sports Commission in Eastern Idaho and the Koetter family have started the Jim and Barbara Koetter scholarship fund to help provide scholarships for league and equipment fees to economically disadvantaged youth. You may send donations to: IYSC: Attention Taryn Sorrell, 5437 Kimball Drive, Chubbuck, ID 83202.

There will be a live broadcast of the service which can be viewed below.