Francis (“Fritz”) Jefferson Koons was born December 19, 1902 in Illinois and moved to Bellingham temporarily in 1908, and again permanently, in 1926. He finally settled into a job at Puget Sound Power and Light, where he remained employed for 42 years. Fritz Koons held various positions at "Puget Power," eventually becoming a surveyor and remaining so until his retirement in 1967.
Fritz Koons had an avid interest in outdoor recreation, attending his first meeting of the Mt. Baker "Hiking" Club shortly after returning to Bellingham. He remained active in this organization his entire life, often scouting out new trails in the mountains near Mt. Baker. In 1936, Koons and his outdoor enthusiast friends built a ski cabin at Mt. Baker.
In the mid-1950s Koons and other local citizens organized the Komo Kulshan Ski Club for young skiers in the Bellingham area. In addition to his Mt. Baker Club membership and activities with the Komo Kulshan Ski Club, Fritz Koons was also a member of the Mt. Baker Ski Patrol and the Bellingham Junior Chamber of Commerce. Actively involved with local senior citizens’ groups including the Senior Trail Blazers, he skied regularly well into his eighties.
Fritz Koons died in April 24, 1997.
From the guide to the Fritz Koons Papers and Komo Kulshan Ski Club Records, 1914-1990, (Western Washington University Heritage Resources)
