It is with sadness that we share news of the passing of Charles “Terry” Gulick III on July 14, 2024. Terry was a dear friend to both the Coolidge Foundation and the Coolidge family for many decades.
It was in 1945 that Terry first got to know the Coolidge family. While on vacation, Terry’s father brought the Gulick family to Plymouth Notch and introduced Terry to John Coolidge, President Calvin Coolidge’s son. That visit and meeting sparked a lifelong friendship.
When John Coolidge reopened the Plymouth Cheese Factory in 1960, he invited Terry to be one of its first employees.
Terry was active in the Plymouth community for more than half a century: volunteering as a docent leading tours for hundreds of school-age children at the historic site, making Christmas wreaths for the Union Christian Church, volunteering as a citizen judge in Coolidge debate competitions, and organizing countless festive chicken barbeques at the Notch.
Terry’s musical talent enlivened events at the Notch. His final performance was just this past June when he performed on Grace Coolidge’s piano at the Historic Site’s Grace Coolidge Musicale.
Terry was especially fond of the annual reenactment of President Coolidge’s Homestead Inauguration. He played numerous roles in the reenactment over the years, including Col. John Coolidge. Last year Terry dutifully played the role of Winfred Perkins who brought the news of President Warren Harding’s death from Bridgewater to the Coolidge Homestead. You can watch C-SPAN’s recording of Terry’s performance during the Coolidge centennial here (the reenactment begins around the 37:00 mark in the video).
Terry cherished the opportunity to help keep the Coolidge legacy alive. His extensive knowledge of Coolidge family history enriched the Plymouth community. Last November, Terry sat down with us to record an oral history of his family’s connection to the Coolidge family. You can watch that interview below.
Overall, Terry was a loyal and enthusiastic friend to the end. Though in declining health, Terry journeyed to Plymouth Notch one final time to join us this summer on the Fourth of July. Friends can read more about Terry’s remarkable life here. Thank you, Terry, for your smile, for your stories, for your service, and most of all for your friendship. We’ll miss you very much.