Mark L. Koehler Papers, 1964-1970

Dr. Mark L. Koehler was the first alumnus to become president of Whitworth College. After graduating from North Central High School in Spokane, Washington, Koehler enrolled at Whitworth where he participated in student government and starred in basketball and tennis. In 1939 he married a college classmate, Clara Belle Braden of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

His post-graduate education included a masters of arts degree in Christian education and a bachelor of divinity degree from San Francisco Theological Seminary in 1939 and 1940. He completed a master of theology degree at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1941. Later, he received two honorary degrees: a D. D. from the University of Dubuque in 1945 and an LL. D. from Hastings College in 1964.

After serving as a pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Port Townsend, Washington, he became head of the department of Bible and Christian education at Whitworth in 1943. From 1950 to 1962 he was senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Yakima, Washington, and at the same time a trustee of Whitworth College.

Koehler was inaugurated as Whitworth's 13th president on October 9, 1964. (NOTE: Alfred O. Gray, Not by Might, Spokane Washington: Whitworth College, 1965, pp. 251-253) In the spring of 1969 he announced his acceptance of a pastoral call. (NOTE: Dale E. Soden, Adventure of Mind and Spirit (Spokane, Washington: Whitworth College, 1990) p. 117.)