James "Jim" C. Guthrie

James “Jim” Curtis Guthrie, 71, Louisiana, MO, passed away on Friday, February 28, 2025 at Mercy St. Louis Hospital surrounded by his loved ones. Jim was born on March 31, 1953 to Ruby Lonergan Guthrie in Louisiana, MO. They soon moved to St. Joseph, MO, where he spent most of his childhood. He moved back to Louisiana, where he attended and graduated from Louisiana High School in 1972. After high school, Jim was employed at PCMH in respiratory therapy and as an ambulance driver. He married his former wife Diana (Lenz) Guthrie in 1976, they had four children together. He later worked for Gunther Nash building air shafts in coal and lead mines, which moved his family around the United States. He finally settled back in Louisiana and worked at Hercules as an operator. Jim loved life, friends, and family. His kids and grandkids were the pride of his life. Jim was a devoted Girl Scout dad and in his lifetime he packed around camping gear and more girl scout cookies than most could ever imagine. He also spent many summer nights at the ballpark as a Khoury league base coach. He loved spending his time watching his kids, and later grandkids, play sports and participate in other activities. Jim also had a great love for the outdoors and sharing it with his children. He spent many of his years fishing, hunting, camping, canoeing, and just being at the river. He was an avid duck hunter, and shared the love of duck hunting with his brother in-law, Jim Dillender; they passed that passion along to his boys. Jim loved listening to and playing music. Aside from the bands, Jim probably holds a record for the most attended Cranberry Jams. Jim loved history and interesting facts. His children often joked about him being an encyclopedia of useless knowledge and that he’d dominate on trivia game shows. He was also a “piddler”. He was always piddling around the house, in the yard, at the river camp, and in his duck blind. Jim’s friends and family will always remember him for his fun-loving nature, he was always up for a good laugh. He was kind, gentle, loving, strong and resilient. Jim never met a stranger and made fast friends. He always knew someone everywhere he went and he was loved by many and will be dearly missed. Jim also acquired many nicknames over the years that usually involved a great story to go with, but his favorite was always dad and pawpaw Jim. Jim is survived by his mother, Ruby Guthrie; children Suzanne (Richard) Howland, Jennifer (Jason) Asquith, Brian Guthrie, and Daniel Guthrie all of Louisiana; his grandchildren Mason Howland, Olivia, Greyson and Wren Asquith, Zoey and Maximus Guthrie, Aurora Gentile, Jayce Gentile, Kamila Bowman, and Kaia McCormick; he is also survived by his significant other Florence Slater and her children Samantha and Sean Gentile and Emily Bowman; his sister Ellen Dillender of Bowling Green; an aunt Frankie Whitten of Louisiana; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his grandparents, Ruth and Coleman Lonergan, brother in-law Jim Dillender, and cousin Rodney Branham. Memorial services will be held at 12:00 P.M. on Saturday March 22, 2025 at the Collier Funeral Home in Louisiana MO. Pastor Don Kelley of First Baptist Church will officiate. Visitation will be from 10:00 A.M. until time of service at the funeral home. Collier funeral Home was in charge of cremation rites. Memorials may be made to the Louisiana Recreation Association or Louisiana Alumni and Friends Association.

James "Jim" C. Guthrie

March 31, 1953 - February 28, 2025