Former Moses Lake principal dies

Proposed making Big Bend Community College

MOSES LAKE - Former Moses Lake High School Principal Winfield Fountain died Dec. 21 at 89 years old.

Fountain was a principal at the high school from 1955 to 1957, according to son Tim Fountain of Poulsbo, Wash.

Moses Lake resident Delone Krueger, a 1956 graduate of the high school, remembers being in Fountain's office after getting in trouble during science class. Krueger and other students were shooting water at the lights above them.

"Lo and behold, one of us got a little too close," he said.

A light broke and the science teacher sent the group to the principal's office. They had to serve detention, but Fountain wasn't too hard on them.

"The fact of the matter is, he thought it was pretty funny," Krueger said.

During his time in Moses Lake, Winfield Fountain wrote a dissertation for his doctorate in educational administration proposing the establishment of Big Bend Community College, Tim Fountain said.

Big Bend Community College spokesperson Catherine Holestine said Fountain's dissertation was a development plan for the college.

"From what I can figure out, this is the only hard copy available," she said.

Fountain earned degrees from Gonzaga University, the University of Washington and North Idaho College of Education. He settled in Poulsbo.

Most recently, he was Seattle University's dean of the School of Education. Other titles he held include counselor, coach and college professor.

He and his wife Louise Fountain were married 67 years. They had three daughters, two sons, 14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

"He was a very dedicated educator," Louise Fountain said. "I mean, he always had the interest of his students at heart, sometimes to a fault."

Louise Fountain described her husband as a person who loved to work.

"He was a man who felt compelled, I think, to make every moment of his life worthwhile," she said.

The couple visited Spain, Portugal, Israel, China and Europe together.

Winfield Fountain was a patient, kind father, and a wonderful husband, she said. He was a witty man, and a man of faith, she said.