The Great Gotowsky Edmond Oil Story
Kim Gutowsky-van der Wal is the granddaughter of Assaph “Ace” Gutowsky, the famous wildcatter who discovered the West Edmond Oil Fields in 1943.
Although born in Texas, she moved to Oklahoma at 9 months old. She graduated from Putnam City High School and went on to college at the University of Montana and the University of Oklahoma. She left college to see the world, and her travels took her to Greece, Egypt, Israel, and China. In the early 80’s, she trained for 2 years and was certified in the Healing Arts at Boulder School of Massage Therapy. She started therapeutic massage programs at The Waterford Salon and The Waterford Athletic Club while creating a thriving private practice. Kim was a co-founder of the OMTA (Oklahoma Massage Therapy Association) and the OMTLC (The Oklahoma Massage Therapy Licensing Coalition)
For the last 10 years, Kim has been on a mission to tell her grandfather’s story to the world after a bronze was erected in Mitch Park honoring him for one of the most important oil discoveries in Oklahoma history. She is currently in the process of making this fascinating tale into a TV mini-series.