'His legacy lives on'
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 10 months AGO
A young Barry Schuler
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | February 15, 2022 1:09 AM
A man who led North Idaho College for nearly 20 years and is credited with expanding it into a home of top-quality higher education recently died.
Barry Schuler passed away Feb. 3 on Bainbridge Island, Wash. He was 89.
“Former President Schuler led the college at a time of great growth for NIC, when the nursing program was established and career and technical programs were expanded,” said Michael Sebaaly, NIC interim president. “His legacy lives on not only in the educational offerings for our students, but in the positive impacts to our entire community, including NIC’s stunning main campus and the preservation of the NIC Beach.”
Schuler moved his family to Coeur d’Alene when he was selected to serve as NIC’s president in 1968.
With Schuler at the helm, NIC added the nursing and law enforcement programs, Hedlund Vocational Center, a science building and the humanities building now known as Boswell Hall and the Schuler Center for the Performing Arts, which was named in his honor.
“The auditorium was one of my proudest achievements because of the wonderful impetus it’s given to music, speakers, lecturers and cultural events of all kinds in the beautiful setting of North Idaho,” Schuler said in an Dec. 1, 1995 article in The Spokesman-Review.
NIC also established a wrestling program that won multiple national championships, and the college was instrumental in establishing Art on the Green, the Museum of North Idaho and in acquiring and preserving the beach that surrounds the college.
Schuler remained NIC’s president until 1986.
He went on to serve as president of the Williamson Free School for the Mechanical Arts and Trades in Media, Pa., from 1987 until 1996. He retired and settled in Bainbridge Island with his wife, Ruth.
Photographer Tim Christie taught at NIC and was its first public information officer. He worked directly with Schuler for the four years.
“Without a doubt, Barry was responsible for the greatest growth to the physical plant at NIC and was instrumental in protecting the beach,” Christie wrote. “He worked tirelessly with legislators and community members to make the college the topflight community college it is.”
Christe said one of his fondest memories of Schuler was the Christmas parties that he threw for children of faculty and staff.
“He was a model train buff and had an elaborate setup at his home that delivered ice cream treats to the kids seated around his dining table. It was the hit of the holiday season for my young son, Jeff,” Christie wrote.
ARTICLES BY BILL BULEY
Companions Animal Center has adopted out nearly 2,000 dogs, cats in 2025
Companions Animal Center has adopted out nearly 2,000 dogs, cats in 2025
As if to prove it, signs on two kennel doors proclaim “I have been adopted! I’m currently waiting to be picked up by my new parents.” One is a timid black mastiff. But the shelter remains crowded. Monday, it has about 50 large dogs filling kennels, including in the new wing oped this year, and there is still a four-month waiting list with names of about 80 dogs that people are looking to surrender pets.
Post Falls man named director of ministry with global reach
Post Falls man named director of ministry with global reach
Grassi, a longtime hunter and fisherman, started what was originally called “Let’s Go Fishing Ministry, Inc.” with a focus on outdoors, men and God. It was later changed to “Men’s Ministry Catalyst." The emphasis was on helping men understand their role as defined in the Bible.
Nonprofit foundation helps family become homeowners for first time
Nonprofit foundation helps family become homeowners for first time
The Young Family’s Foundation launched about a year ago with a mission "to empower young, hardworking families to achieve the dream of home ownership. Even if a family saved $25,000, they would still be $19,000 short of the down payment needed to buy a $550,000 home, which is the median price in Kootenai County. It’s estimated that only about 20% of area households can afford to buy a home.