POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of William H. May and Deborah J. Stouff, signing
singly, the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1)execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
capacity as an officer and/or director of Beckman Coulter, Inc. (the
"Company"), Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

(2)do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and
execute any such Form 3, 4, and 5 and timely file such form with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock
exchange or similar authority; and

(3)take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the
undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power
of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-
fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of
the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and
purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present,
with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's
substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-
in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the
undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with
respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in
securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the
undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-
in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 26th day of February, 2004.


						s/ Bobby D. Spaid
						Signature

						Bobby D. Spaid
						Print Name