Writer, family doctor, soldier, youth leader, mentor, Sunday school teacher, horseman and horse breeder — Don Coldsmith was all of those things and more.
In any of his roles he was always and most of all, Don — a gentle, courtly and kind man, curious about all things and all people. He made friends as easily and quickly as some people eat peanuts, and he was never too busy or too distracted to meet someone new.
When Don decided in 1988 to close his medical practice and go into writing full-time, some of his friends cringed inwardly. Medicine, after all, was a solid profession. Someone always needed doctoring. Writing was not such a sure thing. The garrets and basements of America are always full of would-be authors, slaving away on Great American Novels.
But Don set his sights a little lower. He never figured he had the Great American Novel in him, but he knew he had a lot of stories to tell and thought he could tell them in such a way that people would want to read them. Twenty years of books, columns, magazine articles and delighted lecture audiences proved him right.
Don was not the sort of guy to hoard his good fortune. In 1986, he helped start the Tallgrass Writers Workshop at Emporia State University. His idea was not only to give advice and encouragement to starting writers, but to bring them together with people from the publishing business and give them a leg up in a tough profession. Always practical, Don knew that writing was just the first — and sometimes easiest — part of being an author. Getting published was a whole separate field of endeavor.
He was a good man and a happy man. Don and his wife, Edna, shared a deep love for each other and the world. Together they went adventuring through life and always found things to delight in.
No few lines in a daily newspaper will ever sum up the one person and the many things that Don Coldsmith was in his life.
Don would be embarrassed to read it, but memories of him call to mind Sir Thomas Malory’s summing up the life and death of King Arthur:
Yet some men say in many parts of England that King Arthur is not dead, but had by the will of our Lord Jesus into another place; and men say that he shall come again, and he shall win the holy cross. I will not say it shall be so, but rather I will say: here in this world he changed his life.
To steal a line from Don, see you down the road, old friend.
Patrick S. Kelley
Editorial Page Editor
Comments
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Posted by cjfantc (anonymous) on June 27, 2009 at 9:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In his typical self-depricating manner, Dad might have been embarrassed by your kind words but would have capitalized by turning your praise into a great story to be told and retold. Thanks so much,
Carol Smith
Tucson, AZ
(eldest daughter of Don Coldsmith)
Posted by mickg2 (anonymous) on June 27, 2009 at 11:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was influenced by Don when he was the manager of the Boys Department at the YMCA in Topeka in 1953 when I was a semior at Topeka High School. Don hired me to work there after school and I could feel the self-assured and warm personality even at our young and tender age. I only later realized the Dr, Coldsmith was the same person who wrote the books that I enjoyed so much even though I read them out of chronological order.
His influence has stayed with me through my 70+ years.
Thank you Don.
N. D. Grove
Topeka
Posted by MOLON_LABE (anonymous) on June 28, 2009 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Don was a great doctor and writer and a credit to Emporia. Having read every one of his books, I was always anxiously awaiting the next book. His newspaper articles, "Horsing Around" were my favorite part of the newspaper. He was a common, everyday man who looked at life with a keen sense of humor and was able to pass that on to others through his writing. Don Coldsmith will be truly missed. Heaven has gained a great man.
Posted by steakbuffet (anonymous) on June 28, 2009 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Perhaps folks knew Dr. Coldsmith from church, the office or thru his writing. He will be greatly missed by the many he influenced. Emporia lost a gem... that we were so blessed to have known.
Posted by iamtheduckman (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 12:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dr. Coldsmith sutured my eyelid, which was ripped apart from an automobile accident, Christmas Eve 1982. I was concerned about potentially losing my eye and, barring that, how I would look when it healed. Dr. Coldsmith used his wit and humor to set me at ease with the following statement: "Jim you will be fine; however, you may need plastic surgery and a skin graft down the road. Now the only skin suitable on your body for a graft is from your....well manhood. Of course after the plactic surgery every time you become aroused your eye will swell shut. After a long chuckle my mood immediatly shifted from despair to hopeful. Such was the charm of Dr. Coldsmith. The eyelid eventually healed and functions fine; I did not require the plastic surgery. I could tell other stories of Dr. Coldsmith and his wonderful family as they where family friends and the first people to welcome us to Emporia KS in 1980. My condolenses to Edna and the girls.
Jim Hill
Spokane WA
Posted by Pollyanna (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 1:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
duckman:
Good thing you didn't require that "special" plastic surgery. I've heard people who need that surgery end up looking a little cock-eyed.
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